Loes, Caudill awarded honors at CMC – Edwards
By Kristin Carlson
[EDWARDS] – Colorado Mountain College instructors Tim Loes (full-time) and Tim Caudill (adjunct) have been awarded faculty of the year honors for the college’s campus in Edwards.
Loes has been teaching biology, science and environmental science at CMC since 2011. His colleague, Caudill, a biology instructor who teaches concurrent-enrollment classes at Battle Mountain High School for the college, was selected as the outstanding adjunct for the campus.
Every year, each of Colorado Mountain College’s seven campuses, as well as the college’s department of online learning, can nominate adjunct and full-time instructors for the faculty of the year award. From those honorees, senior administrators then select a collegewide award recipient in each of the two categories.
Gypsum resident Jason Vargas also was honored not only with the full-time faculty of the year for the campus where he teaches (in Glenwood Springs, Spring Valley and Carbondale), but he received the collegewide award, as well.
Loes sets bar high to help students achieve
Students who nominated Loes for top faculty honors, cited his expertise and depth of knowledge. Even more importantly, they praised his enthusiasm for science and his concern for student achievement.
Student Carly Raskin, who recommended Loes, noted that he clearly explains what he expects of students and is always available to help clarify the concepts they need to grasp. “He’s super smart,” she said. “He sets high standards.”
Loes, who has a master’s degree in molecular, cellular, organismal biology, began teaching as an adjunct in the Minnesota community college system right out of graduate school. At CMC, he teaches courses in science and biology as well as environmental science. “It’s a big range,” he said, “and I enjoy them all.”
Loes is particularly enthusiastic about the subjects he teaches because the majority of his students will apply the course material directly in their future careers.
“Most of my students are pre-nursing or allied health majors,” he explained. “I try to help them understand why they need to know what we’re learning and make sure the labs and lectures and readings all contribute to the concepts they’ll need to understand.”
Being named faculty of the year was an unexpected honor as Loes has taught at CMC for only a year and a half. “I was surprised,” he said. “It’s always wonderful to get great reviews at the end of the semester. Mostly I was very honored and humbled.”
Loes appreciates the diverse student body and the exceptional staff at Colorado Mountain College. “My students are great, and I can’t say enough about the support system I have at CMC,” he said. “We’re all working toward a common goal of student success.”
Adjunct faculty teaches college-level courses to high school students
This year’s adjunct faculty of the year honoree in Edwards, Tim Caudill, teaches biology for dual credit to high school students at Battle Mountain High School. The course is one of many that the college offers as part of the state’s concurrent enrollment program, which helps students prepare for college and defray costs by earning transfer credits whose tuition can be reimbursed by the school district.
BMHS counselor Jan Abbott describes Caudill as “a one in a million teacher.” Not only does he connect to his students, he creates enthusiasm for the material.
“Students tell me that if you don’t understand, he’ll teach you a different way so you do understand,” Abbott said. “They know he is invested in their lives beyond school.”
Caudill, who’s originally from California, moved to the Edwards area to teach ninth and tenth grade science at BMHS in 2002. He has been teaching CMC concurrent-enrollment biology classes there for almost nine years.
“I love the opportunity for students to earn college credit during high school,” said Caudill. “I used to be disappointed if every student didn’t want to become a doctor. Now, I realize that this course is equally beneficial for all students.
“My students will forget me in a few years,” he joked, “but I hope they maintain their awe for the biological concepts that surround them.” If Caudill’s reviews are any indication, his students will remember their instructor as awe-inspiring, too.