Pierce professor wins 2021 Hayward Award A sociology educator recieves one of the most prestigious honors of the year

BY REZA RASTEGARRAZI

As a teenager, he was the basketball coach at Valley Plaza Park.The parents of the children who played in the park were not sure if someone so young would be able to lead the team. He coached so well that one of his students, Gilbert Arenas, even found his way to the NBA and the Washington Wizards.

That teenager, James McKeever, found similar success as a Pierce College professor. His efforts and dedication have been recoginzed with the 2021 Hayward Award.

The award, sponsored by the Foundation for California Community Colleges, is usually given to community college faculty who demonstrate the highest level of commitment to their students, college and profession.

“It’s an amazing honor to receive it, especially knowing how many people out there deserve it as much or more than I do,” McKeever said. “But for me it’s not about the award, it’s about the work I do for the community ,and that’s the most important thing.”

Pierce College President Alexis Montevirgen summarized Mckeever receiving the award as “a feather in the institution’s cap”.

“James McKeever is just one example of the great faculty that we’re lucky enough to have on campus in terms of their scholarly activity, their commitment to the field, diversity, equity and inclusion,” Montevirgen said in a Zoom interview.

Pierce Philosophy and Sociology

Chair Cara Gillis said that she is lucky to call McKeever her friend and appreciates his company at the college.

“You can have these really hard, intellectual conversations about so many different subject areas, and James is always willing to share what he knows with you,” Gillis said. “The faculty and the students are super fortunate to have him because he helps everybody kind of rise up.”

Gillis said that during her transition as chair of the Philosophy and Sociology department, McKeever helped her become familar with the rest of the faculty.

“He was the [previous] department chair, so when I was taking over he told me to come to the meetings and introduced me to everybody,” Gillis said. “James does so much amazing stuff on campus. It’s like he has his finger on the pulse of what’s important to our students on campus.”

Mckeever hopes to inspire others the way was as a youth.

Director of Valley Plaza Park Bill Dusenberry said that he mentored and encouraged McKeever to pursue community work.

“You never know how big or little something you say to someone is going to mean and make a big