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Khalsa: Continued learning is available to seniors

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Please join me in welcoming Jennifer Shaffer as the new Instructional Services director for the Community Development Adult Education program.

Shaffer will provide oversight for instructional services under the Arizona Department of Education Adult Education Services grant, and supervise service delivery at Rio Salado College partner locations, including South Mountain Community College, West-MEC Northeast and West-MEC Southwest, plus Rio Salado College’s Virtual Learning Academy. She will also supervise programwide integrated education and career training offered in online, live-online and hybrid-virtual formats.

Additionally, she will lead divisionwide project management and develop on- and off-grant community education programs, including the RISE Learning for Life program at RSC, 12535 W. Smokey Drive, Surprise, where her primary office will be located.

Most recently, Shaffer served as an Instructional Services manager at partner locations and previously as an Instructional Services supervisor, instructor senior and student success coach at RSC Surprise.

Before joining RSC, Shaffer served as an Arizona Research Liaison for RTI International and as a teacher and curriculum coach for the Peoria and Deer Valley elementary school districts. Her experience in developing partnerships and supporting enrollment growth at external partner sites, expanding programwide career training programs and her strong project management skills will be an asset to the adult education program.

Shaffer holds a Master of Arts in educational leadership and a Bachelor of Arts in elementary education from Ottawa University, an associate’s degree in early childhood education from Glendale Community College and anticipates completing a Doctorate in industrial and organizational psychology from Grand Canyon University in the near future.

On a personal note, Shaffer is a native Arizonan and enjoys exploring new places with her family, reading and binge-watching movies of all types.

Thank you for supporting Shaffer as she transitions to her new role.

Rio Salado College is a public community college headquartered in Tempe and is part of the Maricopa County Community College District and accredited by The Higher Learning Commission.