2011-2012 New Faculty Members
Jack Cnossen
Jack Cnossen received his BS, MS, and Ph.D. from Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Worcester, MA. He moved from Massachusetts to Texas in 1991 and worked for a number of years at Celanese Corp. in the commodity chemicals division (both chemical plant and R&D). In 2000, he moved to Ponca City, where he was employed at Conoco as part of the Gas to Liquids project. His work at Conoco ranged from sulfur recovery to acid crude oil handling in the refinery. While this is Dr. Cnossen's first full-time teaching position, he was a substitute teacher for math and science at Ponca City High School for a couple of years and said he really enjoyed the experience. Dr. Cnossen's wife still works at ConocoPhillips, and he has two daughters, one in high school and one in college.
Vickie Crouch
Vickie Crouch received her BSN from Langston University in 2002 and will complete an MSN at University of Phoenix on August 29, 2011. She has nursing experience in Medical/Surgical, home health, and public health. She has been married for 22 years, and she and her husband Donnie have 2 children – Ashaley is 18 and a freshman at NOC-Stillwater, and Shawn is 16. She also helps raise her 3 year old great niece Kelsi. Ms. Crouch said that she's "really excited about becoming a part of the Northern Oklahoma College tradition!"
Stephen Gory
Stephen Gory was born and raised in Ponca City, and has always had a great interest in digital art, video, and other design and art programs. Even dating back to middle school, Stephen took many required classes, extracurricular classes, and partook in activities with these interests in mind. Stephen went through the DMI program and graduated in 2010 and is now teaching the first year classes in Northern's two-year DMI program. He also does audio/video work for NOC.
Mary Ann Harris
Mary Ann Harris joined NOC-Enid in January 2011, from Oklahoma State University where she coordinated Student Development efforts for the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources. Dr. Harris earned her BS in Animal Science from Kansas State University, MS from West Texas A&M University, and Ph.D. from The University of Arizona. Both advanced degrees were in the area of reproductive physiology and nutrition. Her previous work experience has been in the human reproductive laboratory, as well as with other institutions of higher education. She is currently teaching Chemistry I, General Biology and Microbiology. Dr. Harris lives east of Perry with her husband, Brett, and two children.
April Heitfeld
April Heitfeld is the wife of an Oklahoma farmer and the mother of four children. She started her nursing career at Autry Technology Center as an LPN. After working for several years and the birth of her last daughter, she returned to school, attending Northern Oklahoma College on the Enid campus. She passed state boards to become a Registered Nurse and returned to the work force specializing in critical care. Four years later, she returned to school at Southwestern Oklahoma State University and obtained her BSN, after which she worked in case management. Currently Ms. Heitfeld is completing an Accelerated Master in Science of Nursing Education degree at OU and anticipates completing that degree by July 2012. She said she is very excited to be a part of the nursing faculty team at NOC Enid. "It has been a goal of mine since attending the program. I look forward to getting to know everyone and becoming a part of the NOC family."
Tracy Hilger
Tracy Hilger taught Intermediate Algebra as an adjunct for Northern Oklahoma College for two years before joining the full-time faculty in Fall 2011. She graduated with a Bachelor in Mathematics Education degree from Northeastern State University in Tahlequah, OK, in 1994 and received her Master of Education in Secondary Administration degree from Northwestern State University in Alva, OK, in 2003. She began teaching at Billings High School in August 1996, where she taught all math courses from 7th grade math through Trigonometry until 2007. She then accepted a teaching position at Tonkawa Public School teaching Mid-High Math until May 2011. Ms. Hilger has three children: Caden, who is a sophomore; Conner, who is in fifth grade; and Avery, who is in Pre-K. She says her life outside of school mostly revolves around her children, so much of her time is spent with their extracurricular activities. However, she also enjoys any outdoor activities (when it is not 110˚ outside), reading, music, and any sports.
Alicia Sharp
Alicia Sharp received an Associate of Arts degree from Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College in 1998, a Bachelor of Arts in English at Oklahoma State University in 2003, and a Master of Arts in English Language and Literature at University of North Texas at Denton in 2006. Ms. Sharp began teaching part-time at NOC-Stillwater in 2008 and full-time at NOC-Tonkawa in 2011. In her free time, she enjoys attending plays at OSU’s Seretean Center and Guthrie’s Pollard Theatre, playing intramural softball, and co-authoring writing projects with several members of the Artists’ Coalition of Stillwater. In 2011, Ms. Sharp founded the League of Extraordinary Adjuncts and Fight Club for Ex-Creative-ites, two Facebook groups devoted to career networking for adjunct instructors in the Stillwater area and former employees of the sound technology company, Creative Labs, Inc.
Will Wiggins
Will Wiggins was born September 16, 1983, in Abilene, TX. He grew up in Henrietta, TX, and received both his BS and MS in Biology from Midwestern State University. He considers himself a Texan through and through. While working on his master's degree, he taught labs at MWSU. He also taught POB, zoology, human physiology, A&P I and II, and fundamental genetics. His favorite classes ever to take were Physiology, Araneology, Entomology, Mammalogy, and Herpetology. He enjoys animals and collecting animals and had a ball python for 7 yrs (Jimmy Wiggles) until it died. He currently has a bearded dragon (Pogo) who is "AWESOME." Mr. Wiggins is married and has 2 boys. In his spare time, he enjoys reading zoological papers and playing video games.