Shannon O'Connor Receives Adjunct Faculty
Presidential Award at Tri-County Technical College

CONTACT: LISA GARRETT, EXT. 2315

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 5/14/2001

PENDLETON --- Shannon O'Connor, an internal auditor at Anderson Area Medical Center, is the recipient of the 2001 Adjunct Faculty Presidential Award at Tri-County Technical College.

This award is given annually at the faculty/staff convocation to the adjunct faculty member who is recognized for excellence in teaching, who has consistently high student evaluations and who supports the philosophy and goals of the College.

Ms. O'Connor has been teaching Accounting classes within Tri-County's Business and Human Services Division for two years, in addition to serving on the College's Accounting Advisory Committee.

"Shannon is a professional with outstanding credentials, and she has a love for teaching. Her contributions to the advisory committee are especially valuable since she teaches evening Accounting courses each semester," said Martha Addis, who chairs the Business and Human Services Division.

Ms. O'Connor was one of the members who participated in the Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs' (ACBSP) self-study and site visit earlier this year. A visiting team was on campus to review three of the College's business programs - Accounting, Business Technology and Office Systems Technology -- for accreditation. "During the exit interview, the members rated our faculty and advisory committee as excellent. Shannon was a real key contributor since she participated in a visiting team session with adjunct faculty and with advisory committee members," added Mrs. Addis.

"Shannon is an outstanding instructor who spends a lot of time outside of class helping her students," said Susan McClure, Accounting department head. "She is always prepared for class and goes the extra mile. I frequently get calls from students who had her for ACC 101 and want to have her for ACC 102."

Ms. O'Connor graduated cum laude from Clemson University with a B.S. in Accounting and holds a master's degree in Professional Accountancy (double major in Tax and Audit) from Clemson, also. She is a certified public accountant through the S.C. Association of CPAs and the American Institute of CPAs. In addition, she is a certified health care financial professional through the Healthcare Financial Management Association and a certified management accountant through the Institute of Management Accountants.

She has been employed in the hospital's Accounting department since 1993 and in her present position since 1998. Prior to that, she worked as an accountant for accounting firms in Anderson and Clemson.

She is a board member and finance committee chairman of Keep America Beautiful and former president and board member of the Anderson chapter of the Institute of Management Accountants. She is the recipient of the Young Careerist of Anderson Award and the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers Volunteer Achievement Award. She was director of the 1989 and 1990 Hartwell Lake Clean-Up Campaigns, which won national and state awards.

Ms. O'Connor lives in Anderson.
-30-