BC faculty, staff members honored for excellence in education
LAKE JACKSON — Brazosport College employees Donald Payne and Patrick Sifuentes were recently honored by the college for the 2025-26 Staff and Teaching Excellence awards.
Payne, a professor of business, accounting and economics, was selected for the Teaching Excellence Award, while Sifuentes, a collections development and reference librarian, was the recipient of the Staff Excellence Award. As the teaching excellence recipient, Payne also becomes BC’s Piper Professor Award nominee.
Payne is a 23-year veteran of Brazosport College. He earned a Master of Science in Accounting from Texas A&M University and worked in international tax at Ernst & Young before transitioning into higher education. Payne completed graduate economics studies at the University of Houston-Clear Lake in 2004 and 2005. He is also the leader of the college’s Economic Forecasting Center.
“I am truly honored to be recognized for this award,” Payne said. “My deepest thanks go to my colleagues, whose collaboration and commitment to students inspire me every day. I am also profoundly grateful to my family for their constant support and encouragement throughout my career. Most of all, I want to thank my students — past and present — who motivate me to continually grow as an educator. This award is a reflection of their hard work, curiosity and resilience, and I am proud to share it with them.”
As for Sifuentes, a Clute native and Brazoswood High School graduate, his journey with Brazosport College began in 2018 when he joined the team in the BC Library. He earned an undergraduate degree in music from Loyola University New Orleans, followed by a Master of Library and Information Science from Dominican University in Illinois.
“I want to express my deep gratitude to my peers and colleagues who nominated me for this award,” Sifuentes said. “It is an honor to be recognized for Staff Excellence among so many others working for the benefit of our students and our community. During my youth at Brazoswood High School, I would visit the BC Library often. Years later, here I am, ready to help our library grow into the future.”
The Teaching and Staff Excellence Awards celebrate outstanding contributions and leadership by community college staff and faculty. Each academic year, member colleges are invited to select and submit names of individuals to be recognized as recipients of these prestigious awards.
To learn more about Brazosport College, go online to www.brazosport.edu or call (979) 230-3000.
For more information:
Billy Loveless
979-230-3273