Terri S. Pope, Ariane Kirkpatrick and Harry Quiñones honored
Cuyahoga Community College has presented Alumni Awards to Terri S. Pope, Ariane Kirkpatrick and Harry Quiñones for their contributions to the College and community since attending Tri-C.
The awards, announced Thursday during a community event, recognize alumni for their professional accomplishments and service to Northeast Ohio and the College. Honorees were selected from community nominations.
Pope and Kirkpatrick received the Distinguished Alumni Award, designated for those who attended more than a decade ago. Quiñones received the Rising Star Alumni Award, which recognizes those who attended Tri-C more recently.
Megan O'Bryan, the College's vice president of resource development, said the awards show "that the value of a Tri-C education extends beyond your career. It makes you a more well-rounded person and gives you the tools to really make a difference in the lives of those around you."
L-R: Terri Pope, Ariane Kirkpatrick, and Harry Quiñones
Awardee profiles
Terri S. Pope, an Avon Lake resident will retire from her position as president of the Westshore Campus at the end of this month. Since 1988, she has served in numerous academic and administrative roles at the College — the last seven as head of the Westshore Campus.
During her time as a campus president, Pope has overseen numerous initiatives to improve and expand access to learning.
She led the One Door, Many Options for Success initiative, an integrated college-wide service model that transformed the student experience by providing structured educational pathways and support to reduce the time to college completion and increase the number of students who obtain degrees, certificates or job-related credentials.
Pope collaborated with her campus leadership team to plan, direct and manage instructional and student services programming; realign campus leadership positions; and create a wraparound educational support environment. She also helped establish a "Learning Café" model featuring small-group tutoring.
Her efforts have garnered numerous awards, including Tri-C's Ralph M. Besse Award for Teaching Excellence.
Ariane Kirkpatrick of Solon is president and CEO of The AKA Team, a full-service commercial construction and facilities company with multiple divisions including general trades, commercial cleaning and commercial waterproofing.
The AKA Team has worked on many large projects with well-known clients in the Cleveland area, including the Cleveland Museum of Art, CMHA, the Flats East Bank and Warrensville Heights City Schools.
A strong advocate for educational access and community service, Kirkpatrick serves on the College's Workforce, Community and Economic Development Board of Visitors and has volunteered her time as an alumna, serving on career panels for students. She is also an advocate for small businesses, and a 2016 graduate of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program at Tri-C.
Harry Quiñones of Garfield Heights developed a business plan as a class project while at Tri-C, giving life to his dream of becoming an entrepreneur.
His aspiration — to bring part of his Puerto Rican heritage to Cleveland by opening a restaurant or market — was realized this year with the opening of 787 Market and Café. Located in Cleveland's Old Brooklyn neighborhood, the market specializes in Puerto Rican goods and groceries as well as prepared food and coffee.
The market has not only launched Quiñones' business career, but it has also helped ease the adjustment for many Puerto Ricans who have settled in Northeast Ohio after being displaced by Hurricane Maria in 2017.
At Tri-C, Quiñones was a Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Scholar and a Tri-C Foundation scholarship recipient. After earning his associate degree in 2019, he transferred to Cleveland State University where he expects to receive his bachelor’s degree next year.
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