Martha Vines
Martha Timberlake Vines epitomizes the Richland College spirit. Her passion is and always has been to enable the student success through tutoring and leadership building.
While a high school student, Martha married and then became a mother when she was 19 years old. She thought motherhood had put additional education temporarily on hold, but a tip at a “Tupperware party” changed her life. At that party, an adjunct instructor talked about a new community college where financial aid and student job opportunities were available. Not only did she tell Martha about Richland , but she also invited Martha to meet her at the college for a tour, introductions, and information. A few weeks later, Martha registered for classes and began work as a student assistant in Developmental Writing that sparked her success and has fired her passion for helping students ever since.
Martha continued her education by working full-time at Richland and taking classes part-time at UTD. In 1980 she transferred to East Texas State University (now Texas A&M University at Commerce) as a full-time student and completed 37 hours of academic work between June and December to graduate that fall. In 1986, she earned her master's degree from Amberton University with academic distinction.
Through the years, Martha has been a determined advocate for students and now serves as associate dean for the Center for Tutoring and Learning Connections (CTLC). In fact, she worked diligently to transform Richland 's early tutoring center with a two-person staff into the Center for Tutoring and Learning Connections (CTLC) with a 10 full-time employees and 60 part-time employees. In 2003-2004, two programs that stemmed from the CTLC efforts were selected as Richland College Innovation of the Year.
Martha, an advisor for Phi Theta Kappa, has received numerous awards, including the Continued Excellence Award for Chapter Advisors, Mosal Leadership Award, and Giles Distinguished Advisor Award. She is also listed in Who's Who in American Education , Who's Who in America , Who's Who in the South and Southwest , Who's Who Registry of Rising Young Americans, and Outstanding Young Women of America . Martha Vines has been a wonderful credit to Richland College —as both student and educator!