SOWELA instructor wins statewide educator award

LAKE CHARLES, La. (KPLC) - SOWELA instructor Darrell Buck has recently received the “President’s Award for Teaching Excellence,” making him the first SOWELA faculty member to receive the award since its inception. The award is the top honor at the Louisiana Community and Technical College System (LCTCS) conference.

The “President’s Award for Teaching Excellence” aims to recognize an exceptional educator in Louisiana’s community and technical colleges. It is awarded annually to one teaching faculty member in LCTCS who distinctly represents the teaching excellence found in the statewide system of colleges.

“The achievement of the LCTCS President’s Award for Teaching Excellence by Darrell Buck is a great honor for not only Mr. Buck but also for SOWELA,” said SOWELA Chancellor Dr. Neil Aspinwall. “This recognition substantiates the great quality of faculty that SOWELA has in all its programs. This honor speaks to Mr. Buck’s dedication, pedagogical expertise, and student focus. Darrell’s devotion to his teaching discipline has been one of the major reasons the Digital Arts and Communication Program at SOWELA has experienced steady enrollment growth over the last few years. I am very proud of Darrell, and he is very deserving of this award.”

Buck is a Digital Arts and Communication Instructor and has worked at SOWELA for 10 years. He is a faculty advisor for SkillsUSA and won the “Pillar of SkillsUSA” award at the Louisiana SkillsUSA competition this past spring, among numerous other honors during his tenure.

Buck, an Army veteran, is also the SOWELA Graphic Arts Club Advisor and serves on several college committees, including the Digital Arts and Communication Advisory Committee, SOWELA Student Art Show Committee, and Honors Ceremony Committee.