Dennis Hain Received Excellence in Education Award

Tuesday, April 22, 2014 SUN Area Technical Institute’s very own Dennis Hain received the Excellence in Education Award from the Greater Susquehanna Valley Chamber of Commerce.  Mr. Hain was nominated for the award by SUN Tech employees who felt his long and successful career spent in the welding industry, the classroom, and the director’s office deserved special recognition. More pictures of this even can be found on the school’s Facebook page.

We’ve included the text for Mr. Hain’s nomination below, which requires an answer to two question about the individual’s career in education has inspired others.

Please describe how this teacher or education professional has positively influenced or inspired you or other students’ experience in the classroom and/or personal growth. It is helpful to include details that support this person’s ability to go above and beyond, his/her impact on you or other students, and how he/she has influenced your life and career decisions or those around you.

The staff of SUN Area Technical Institute would like to nominate our Administrative Director, Dennis Hain, for the Excellence in Education Award.

Dennis Hain is one of few school administrators that can claim that he’s spent significant portions of his career in industry, the classroom, and the director’s office. This unique blend of life experience is Dennis’ greatest strength as the director of SUN Area Technical Institute. He understood the educational requirements of the industries we serve. He sympathized with the needs of our sending schools and aimed to work with the districts we serve rather than in opposition. He takes an uncompromising stance on the professionalism he expects from our students, yet successfully runs a school that kids love attending, day-after-day.

Dennis has successfully seen SUN Tech through trying times. Economic difficulties and building projects have forced our sending districts to make sacrifices and some of that pain has transferred to SUN Tech. Dennis succeeded in passing zero-increase budgets in spite of the rising costs we’ve seen during his tenure as district administrator, and he managed to purchase our West Campus building without placing an additional financial burden on our sending schools. Mr. Hain’s tireless effort to seek solutions amicable to all of SUN Tech’s stakeholders has been nothing short than amazing.

Speaking of tireless effort: Dennis Hain’s work ethic puts that of many younger employees shame, and motivates us all to strive to do better; and you’ll never use “that’s not my job” as an excuse at SUN Tech because you’ll do so knowing that the man who signs your paycheck may, at any moment, remove his tie, grab a shovel, and dig into some back-breaking labor.

One of Dennis’ own hard-working welding students, went on to become his replacement and continues SUN Tech’s tradition of training the next generation of highly-skilled welders.

How did this teacher or education professional contribute to the goals listed above?

Dennis’ continued involvement with professional organizations such as GSVCC and Keystone Wood Products Association has been key to building support for SUN Tech and ensuring that our educational endeavors are meeting the needs of local industry.

Dennis has been a strong supporter of SUN Tech’s co-op program as well as SUN Tech’s ongoing community service efforts.

During Dennis’ tenure as director the number of higher education opportunities available to SUN Tech students has increased significantly. Students can now earn transferable college credits by attending just about any day-time program at SUN Tech.

Dennis has encouraged business and industry leaders to be involved with SUN Tech in a variety of ways including our Occupational Advisory Committees, the Cooperative Education program, Open House, Career Fairs, or simply just stopping by for a visit to tour our school and meet our teachers.