Education is an interesting thing. The more we learn, the more we understand how little we know — but we learn how to approach topics, decipher problems, and come up with opinions, solutions, and advance ourselves and society in general.
The love for education is also interesting. Once bitten, some are in for life. Some people never stop learning, whether they satisfy that need by reading, researching, writing, or sometimes continuing to go back to school and get multiple degrees. Others transition their love for education into educating, and become teachers or professors. Some of them spend their lives educating kids, tweens, or teens, while others prefer to educate adults. Week after week, year after year, they return to the classroom and share their passion with others.
I especially admire those who augment their passion by volunteering to serve on school boards. As the rest of us rest up after a long day of work, they gather to pool their energy in their efforts to guide the educational institutions we value.
I have known Betsy McMahon as an educator, a world traveler, a dedicated TBBC board member, and as a friend. I know we are all served well with her on the TBCC board.
During the five years Betsy has served on the TBCC Board, she has combined her experiences from teaching internationally with those gained in multiple states, and assisted the Board in better connecting with our community and the community’s needs. She is fully committed to ensuring that each of our students have access to quality education, and developing programs in fields where our local community has special needs. She is equally passionate about apprenticeship programs for construction trades and nursing programs, and enabling high school students to take full advantage of dual credit programs while quality courses are offered for adults as well.
In recognition of this dedication, she now serves on the Executive Board for the Oregon Community College Association, raising TBCC’s reputation higher, while bringing additional access and experience back to our community.
Please join me in filling the oval next to Betsy McMahon’s name, to ensure this dedicated educator can continue to serve us wholeheartedly on our community college board.
David McCall
Mayor, City of Bay City