Atta Bear

2012: Recognizing exemplary employee dedication and service.

Atta Bear is a hand carved wooden bear clad in Mountie maroon and is awarded monthly to a Mt. SAC employee, group, or department that demonstrates the Mt. SAC spirit, outstanding service to the college, and/or extraordinary teaching. The current Atta Bear recipient selects the following month’s recipient. In addition to the bear statue, each honoree receives a congratulatory message on the college marquee, a framed award, and other forms of recognition like this one.

May 2012: Greg MacDonald

State award-winning Graphic Designer Greg MacDonald of the Marketing Department has been selected for the May Atta Bear Award by April recipient Teresa DeLaby, who wrote: “My job intersects with Greg’s in the area of class schedule production. I truly appreciate Greg’s flexibility and accommodating nature, and I’m sure my colleagues in the other divisions would concur. His willingness to delay or even run extra downloads, and to manually incorporate last-minute changes, result in a printed Schedule of Classes that is as accurate as possible. Greg embodies the ‘awesome spirit’ and ‘delightful service’ for which the Atta Bear Award is intended, and I happily pass it on to him!”

April 2012: Teresa DeLaby

Humanities and Social Sciences Administrative Secretary Teresa DeLaby has been selected for the April Atta Bear Award by March recipient Ron Norton Reel, who wrote, "When I think of a person who is always supportive of full-time faculty on an equal basis with part-time faculty . . . who is always delightful in her service to staff, administrators, students, and faculty . . . a person who meets the Mt. SAC core value of positive spirit . . . I think of Teresa. She has been a member of the Mt. SAC family since 1992 and has served in her current position for the past eight years. When you need something done in your department or at the divisional level, you turn to Teresa to point you in the right direction. There is no “i” in Teresa. You find Team, Energy, Respect, Excellence, Satisfaction, and Ability from this deserving Atta Bear recipient.

March 2012: Ron Reel

Communication Professor Ron Reel has been selected for the March Atta Bear Award by February recipient Arnita Champion, who noted: “Ron is the ‘Reel’ deal! He is the one who inspired me to give my all to the Mt. SAC family and stand like a ‘reel Champion!’ Whether I am in the classroom, on the stage or simply attending a staff meeting, I am always reminded of how Ron modeled and instilled within me what the ‘Mt. SAC Commitment’ looks like. What resonates in my heart is his passion and ability to bring faculty, classified and management together to form lifelong relationships in "one night’! He has shown me what having an awesome spirit truly is! Without a doubt, Ron is truly deserving of this symbol celebrating his gifts, talents and his heart!”

February 2012: Arnita Champion

Career & Transfer Services Job Developer/Counselor Arnita Champion-Carter has been selected for the February Atta Bear Award by January recipient Martha Ramirez, who noted: “Arnita is an excellent choice for the award, because she assists the bookstore with finding seasonal employees. Arnita really loves her job. She is dedicated, positive, hospitable, and energetic. After I leave her office, I feel happy and confident we will get a big pool of job seekers, and we always do.”

January 2012: Martha Ramirez

Bookstore Customer Service Supervisor Martha Ramirez has been selected for the January Atta Bear Award by December co-recipients Executive Assistant Susana Andrade and Secretary Lucy De Leon of Student Services, who noted: "We have had the privilege of working with Martha for the past 10 years. Her outstanding customer service and understanding of student needs has always made her our 'go-to' person at the SacBookRac. Whether our requests are for special projects, donations, or emergency purchases, Martha has routinely come through for us with a smile. You can be guaranteed that she will always go above and beyond the call of duty. Sometimes you can even catch a glimpse of her cape! We are sure that it is not just our office that has benefited from Martha's outstanding customer service and attitude. I'm sure many on campus would agree with our nomination."

Click here to view the Atta Bear Recipients for 2011