From left, instructors Lynda Myers and Ed Boyle are retiring from Mendocino College. Each has worked more than 30 years with the school. Courtesy photo.

UKIAH – After each working more than 30 years at Mendocino College, instructors Ed Boyle and Lynda Myers have retired.

Lynda Myers’ career at Mendocino College began in 1977 when she volunteered as a tutor. She worked for Bob Wallen, director of the Learning Resource Center, and his assistant, Marie Myers at the original “temporary” campus at the Ukiah Fairgrounds.

“When I first arrived at Mendocino College in 2003, Lynda was Academic Senate president. She and I worked very closely together and I credit Lynda with helping me to understand the culture of the college and of the local community. Lynda is not only an excellent instructor, but also a skilled relationship builder who helped me build a working relationship with the faculty,” Mendocino-Lake Community College District Superintendent/President Kathy Lehner said.

Myers was hired in 1978 to teach an English class, and she has been teaching at Mendocino College since.

She holds a bachelor’s degree in education from San Francisco State University, 1965, and a master’s degree in education, with a specialty in reading, from Sonoma State University, 1980.

While a part-time faculty member, she served for two years as president of the Part-Time Faculty Association.

In 1984, Myers was asked to develop a College Learning Center and tutoring program for Mendocino College in a large warehouse on Mazonni Street in Ukiah. This was the beginning of her long association with tutoring and learning assistance. The Learning Center, along with the tutoring program, was one of the first to move from the Fairgrounds to the current campus on Hensley Creek Road in 1986.

Working with tutors on a daily basis, Myers wrote a tutoring handbook for her students, “Becoming An Effective Tutor,” published by Crisp Publications in 1990, which is still used in tutoring programs throughout the country.

Active in the Association of California Colleges for Tutoring and Learning Assistance, which includes both university and community college faculty, and a regular presenter at conferences, Myers was awarded the organization’s Distinguished Achievement Award in 1999.

In the year 2000, she received the President’s Award for her contributions to Mendocino College from Superintendent/President Carl Ehmann.

As she longed to teach English again, Myers’ management position was eventually converted to faculty. As such, she divided her time between her duties as director of the Learning Center, and as a professor of English and Education. Myers taught English in the classroom, and, after receiving a certificate in Online Teaching in 2002, became one of the first faculty at Mendocino College to teach online.

For the past three years, Myers has developed and taught online courses for teachers and prospective teachers, as well as a humanities course on the art history of Rome. She plans to continue teaching some of these courses in her retirement. Furthermore, Myers is developing a hybrid course, Introduction to the Teaching Profession, for undergraduate students who plan to become teachers, which she expects to teach in the Spring 2010 semester.

“I loved coming to work every day at the College. It is a wonderful place to work. The students are there to learn, the faculty is outstanding, and the administration supports both students and faculty in achieving excellence,” Myers said.

According to Myers, she always felt fortunate to work and teach in such a positive environment, and she is proud of her former students. She is delighted to see them in the community as teachers, dental hygienists, nurses, legal assistants, business owners, pharmacy techs, auto mechanics, and other important occupations.

Since being hired as the men’s head basketball coach in 1973, Ed Boyle has been involved in many different aspects in the Mendocino College Athletic Department.

Boyle served as the men’s head basketball coach for 29 years before retiring as the head coach in 2002.

Along with his duties as head coach, Boyle served as the Mendocino College Athletic Director from 1975-1992. Boyle also served one season as an assistant softball coach and head baseball coach.

In 2005, Boyle was inducted into the Mendocino College Hall of Fame and was inducted into the California State Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2006.

The impact of Boyles coaching and teaching can be seen by the number of his former players who are now coaches themselves.

According to Boyle, approximately 20 former players are coaching and two are coaching at the community college level.

Current Mendocino College Head Men’s Basketball Coach Billy Offill played for Boyle during the 1998-1999 season.

“Ed was a founding member of this college and it will be difficult going into next year not having him to lean on in tough situations,” Mendocino College Interim Athletic Director/Head Football Coach Tom Gang said.

Boyle received his AA degree from Chabot College and his BA from Chico State. Boyle also holds a MA degree from San Francisco State University.

For more information about Mendocino College, visit www.mendocino.edu .