Dr. Roxann Humbert, former Statewide Director of Higher Education eLearning with the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission (HEPC), was recently awarded the Ron Legon Leadership Award for Quality Assurance in Online Education in recognition of her contributions to online education on behalf of adult college students in the Mountain State.
In 2012, Dr. Humbert launched the West Virginia Remote Online Collaborative Knowledge System (WVROCKS), which provides accelerated online courses for students working to complete their degrees in the Regents Bachelor of Arts (RBA) program at institutions across the state. The program currently boasts over 1,200 enrollments – up from 55 enrollments in its first semester.
“WVROCKS paves a clearer path to a college degree for adult learners across West Virginia,” said Dr. Sarah Armstrong Tucker, Interim Chancellor of the HEPC. “Roxann’s vision and leadership in launching and expanding this opportunity over the past several years has been truly impactful. With retention rates consistently in the 90th percentile, hundreds of students have benefited from this affordable option that accommodates their busy lives.”
Administered through the West Virginia Network (WVNET), WVROCKS allows students to finish their RBA degrees while working and without travel; access classes at times convenient to their busy schedules; and, earn their degrees in an accelerated timeframe. Dr. Humbert ensured that the WVROCKS program and faculty met national standards and best practices for the development and delivery of online learning opportunities.
Presented jointly by MarylandOnline (MOL) and Quality Matters (QM), this award recognizes individuals for their positive impact on and contributions to quality assurance in online teaching and learning, theories and practices in quality assurance, and innovations to further quality assurance in online education. Sixteen higher education institutions in the state use the QM rubric as a guide to develop their online and hybrid courses, and more than 1,000 faculty in West Virginia have received QM training.
