When Alton Scales, vice president of Colorado Mountain College in Dillon and Breckenridge, describes the selection process for faculty of the year, he makes it clear that it's much more than a popularity contest.

“We consider input from students, faculty and staff, and then a leadership team makes a decision,” said Scales. “It's a comprehensive nomination.”

Every year, each of Colorado Mountain College's seven campuses, as well as the college's department of online learning, can nominate an adjunct (part-time) and a full-time instructor for the faculty of the year award. From those honorees, senior administrators then select a collegewide award recipient in each of the two categories.

Psychology professor Drew Mikita was named full-time faculty of the year for the campus that consists of the college's two locations in Summit County. And Justin Pollack, a part-time anatomy and physiology instructor at the same campus, was named adjunct faculty of the year.

Lucky timing for psych prof

When Drew Mikita first moved to the mountains in 2007, he called the human resources department at Colorado Mountain College to see if they might need a psychology instructor. Mikita, whose parents were both teachers in his native Ohio, was feeling ready to try the classroom for himself.

The college quickly replied that they had no need for faculty at the moment but would keep his information on file. “The next day,” said Mikita, “they called back and said they'd had a sudden vacancy and asked if I could start teaching a psychology class the next day.” He asked for a copy of the textbook and never looked back.

Shortly after Mikita was hired, campus vice president Scales was surprised to receive a phone call from human resources. “HR people are usually pretty neutral,” he said, “but I got a call from them saying what a joy it was to talk with Drew because he was so positive.”

In the classroom, Mikita inspires students to become both self-reflective and engaged in the larger world. “I encourage them to apply what they learn in class and make psychology relevant for them,” he said.

As a licensed, professional counselor, Mikita believes that staying active in his field outside the classroom yields unique benefits. “I have real-life examples from the field,” he said, “and that makes the subject much more real to my students.”

According to one student, Mikita's style includes inviting students to initiate conversation and promoting lively classroom discussions. “Students are interested in what he has to say,” she wrote to the nominating committee, “because he uses personal experience stories and up-to-date, modern topics.”

Mikita said he “was on cloud nine” when he learned he'd been nominated for the campus honor, adding that a phenomenal staff and a diverse group of students keep his job interesting. “At CMC we're encouraged to be out-of-the-box thinkers,” he said, “and I love that.”

Anatomy and physiology adjunct recognized

Justin Pollack moved to Summit County with his wife in 2004 to establish his practice as a naturopathic doctor. While building a patient base, he decided to look into teaching a few courses at CMC. He had experience as an outdoor educator and enjoyed teaching in a variety of settings.

“My first classes barely had enough students to run,” said Pollack, adjunct instructor of anatomy and physiology classes, as well as nutrition. “But three years later, they were packed. It's been very rewarding.”

Students say they appreciate Pollack's positive attitude and his perspective as a practicing naturopath. “He explains things from a real world standpoint,” said student Kim Hollon, “so the information stays with you even after you are no longer in the class.”

“I like working with this age group,” said Pollack. “They have some life experiences, they're self-motivated and interested, and they ask good questions and study hard.”

When he learned he'd won the faculty of the year award as an adjunct, Pollack said he was “overjoyed and surprised because there are so many good instructors at CMC.”

Pollack holds a bachelor of arts in humanities from Evergreen State College and an N.D. (doctor of naturopathic medicine) from Bastyr University in Seattle. He completed his training in family practice medicine in Portland, Ore., at the National College of Naturopathic Medicine.

Pollack and his wife, Kim Nearpass, N.D., are co-founders and co-owners of the Mountain-River Naturopathic Clinic and Backcountry Herbal Apothecary in Frisco. In his spare time, Pollack enjoys kayaking, skiing and hiking. In the summer, you can find him leading herb walks through Summit County's forests.