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Oakley named Michigan Art Educator of Year 2006

Jackson Community College Assistant Professor of Studio Art Thomas Oakley has been honored by the Michigan Art Education Association as the Michigan Higher Education Art Educator of the Year 2006.

Oakley was selected from a number of outstanding candidates for the honor, according to William Harmon, MAEA awards chairman. Oakley taught art at the high school level for eight years at Columbia Central High School in Brooklyn before starting as an adjunct instructor at JCC in 2000. He became a full-time studio art instructor at the College in Fall of 2000, and in 2003 was named assistant professor. During his years at JCC, Oakley has served as lead faculty for studio art, teaching drawing, art education, and new this year, sculpture.

D'Andra Clark, art teacher at Jackson's Western High School, nominated Oakley for the award because, she said, he had the fortitude to leave his well-established high school program to tackle the art program at JCC. "Tom is willing to share his love of art with colleagues and the community," Clark said. "He still remains supportive of the local school art programs. This makes him one 'cool educator' from one of Michigan's 'cool cities' and educator of the year."

"I was extremely honored to be nominated by a peer," Oakley said. "It was nice to be recognized outside of the realm of JCC."

Nominees for the award are evaluated according to a variety of criteria: work in the classroom, the school district, and the community; involvement in professional arts organizations; exhibition record of practicing artists; honors and awards; and publications, grants funded or conference or workshop presentations.

Oakley noted that a friend pointed out to me that this award includes nominees from all the 'big boys' of the college art world in Michigan, including state universities and art schools. "I was thrilled to be a community college instructor winning this award against these four-year institutions."

For Oakley, the most enjoyable part of teaching is the interaction with his students. "Some of my best friends are students that I have had, either here at JCC or from my time at Columbia Central High School."

He has been active in the arts community for years. In 2001, Oakley participated in the National Art Education Association's Distinguished Fellows Multicultural Institute at The Ohio State University. He has judged art shows for the MAEA and served as a panel member for "Arts and Politics" at the 2002 conference in Lansing. At JCC, he is the faculty advisor for the Gay-Straight Alliance and co-chair of the JCC Council for Inclusion and Diversity. He is co-founder and co-chair of the JCC New Educator's Network, is part of the JCC Faculty Association and committee member with the Jackson County Education Association. He has put on numerous shows of his artwork with MAEA and around Jackson.

Oakley earned a Bachelor of Education degree from the University of Toledo in art education, and he earned a Master of Arts in Education through Spring Arbor College. He has completed further graduate study at The Ohio State University (Distinguished Fellows Program - Multicultural Institute) and The Savannah College of Art and Design.