January 5, 2022
Tonnie Martinez and Michael Raine recognized as Professor and Professional Staff of the Week
Tonnie Martinez, assistant professor of curriculum and instruction, and Michael Raine, information technology manager, were recognized as Professor and Professional Staff of the Week at the Jan. 4 men's home basketball game.
Faculty Senate, the Office of the President, K-State Athletics and the Division of Communications and Marketing wish to recognize their contributions to K-State.
Martinez joined the College of Education in 2006 as an assistant professor and associate director of the Center for Intercultural and Multilingual Advocacy. Martinez's career in the college is exemplary in the three areas of teaching, research and service. In her current position as the executive director of the Center for Public School Improvement, she teaches future educators and works with school administrators to plan professional development to meet the evolving needs of public schools. Her research includes trauma and brain development, creative strategies for diverse learners, personalized instruction, and innovative professional development for educators. This role provides an additional platform for her scholarship and research that enhances her exemplary teaching, student recruitment and student support. Martinez serves as the co-author and co-principal investigator for multiple grants of significant funding.
Martinez presents her scholarship and innovative research findings regularly at regional and national conferences and symposiums. Her stellar reputation for addressing the learning needs of the multicultural community reflects well on the College of Education. Martinez is also very cognizant of and dedicated to meeting the land-grant mission of K-State by working with school district personnel throughout Kansas to enhance the success of all Pre-K and K-12 students.
Martinez's passion for caring and educating all students permeates through all of her positions and roles. Her exemplary college teaching to pre-service educators is demonstrated by her commitment to effective and innovative instruction. She models for her students the strategies and dispositions necessary for successful teaching and learning. Her professionalism is grounded in her belief and dedication to the education of all students and is demonstrated by her enthusiasm and excitement for the professional growth of all educators.
Raine goes above and beyond, working tirelessly every day to ensure that each faculty and staff member can do their job, to keep building technology functioning well and exemplifies staff excellence. He will meet with individuals one-on-one to help and is always willing to go the extra mile to see to it that issues are resolved quickly and efficiently. He is an amazing boss and helps instill lifelong lessons to each of his student employees, not only related to IT but helping each student build valuable skills that would make them an asset to any company upon graduation.
Raine works incredibly hard behind the scenes making sure that that the college and its tech resources run smoothly. His dedication to his job is off-the-charts. One colleague shared that he shows truly remarkable patience to those who are not very technology-savvy, and this is deeply appreciated.
He also shows extreme care for his student staff and all staff and faculty that he works with; he truly cares about people. He takes time to check in on how his employees are doing outside of their work lives. It was shared by one of his student staff that he has paid for everyone's dinner at many staff meetings, has offered to drop off a get-well kit when someone was sick, has reached out and engaged with employees when he could see they were struggling with something, along with many other examples.