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Academic Awards |
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| During
the Academic Awards
Ceremony Monday,
April 20, at Southwestern
Community College
SCC President
Cecil Groves,
left, and Executive
Vice President
and Chief of Staff
of the N.C. Community
College System
Kennon Briggs,
right, present
Brandi Anders
of Tuckasegee,
center 1, and
Chris Vendrell
of Franklin, center
2, with a N.C.
Community College
System Academic
Excellence Award.
Each of the state's
58 community colleges
selects two award
recipients to
represent them
statewide. |
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"Bright minds like
yours bring light to these
dark days of economic recession,"
Kennon Briggs, executive
vice president and chief
of staff of the North Carolina
Community College System
Office, told award winners
Monday night, April 20,
during Southwestern Community
College's Academic Awards
Ceremony.
Speaking on the Jackson
Campus, Briggs, who manages
the day-to-day operations
of the 250-person staff
of the system office, said,
"Knowledge by itself
isn't enough; it's what
you do with that knowledge.
Knowledge should lead to
action and to charity and
I challenge you to take
your knowledge and hard
work and apply it."
The former chief financial
officer for the community
college system said he understood
how many of the students
had overcome situations
like maintaining a full-time
job while going to school,
being a single parent or
a displaced worker or dealing
with physical challenges.
"Yet you still achieved
academic success,"
he congratulated the students.
"I have read your success
stories and you represent
all that is good about our
state." He related
a personal success story
of his mother, who as a
divorced parent of two children,
began her academic success
at a North Carolina Community
College when she got her
GED.
"Let other folks be
heartened by your success
and also take up the challenge,"
he said.
As part of the ceremonies
Brandi Anders of Tuckasegee
and Chris Vendrell of Franklin
were recognized for receiving
the North Carolina Community
College System Academic
Excellence Awards.
Each of the state's 58 community
colleges selects two award
recipients to represent
them statewide. These awards
honor students who not only
excel academically but who
work to improve themselves
and their communities.
Anders, who plans to graduate
in May with a college transfer
degree, maintains a 3.77
grade point average. Vendrell,
who also plans to graduate
in May, is seeking an associate
of applied science degree
in business administration.
His GPA is 3.56.
A Jackson County native
and a 2007 graduate of Smoky
Mountain High School, Anders
plans to enroll at Western
Carolina University to continue
her studies in athletic
training. She attributes
her desire to excel to her
strong support system in
her family, school and athletics.
Although she enrolled full
time at SCC in the fall
of 2007 her Southwestern
experience began in seventh
grade when she was accepted
into the New Century Scholars
program. "This program
afforded me many opportunities
to get exposure to SCC and
to eventually build the
bridge for my full time
enrollment," she said.
"My success at SCC started
on orientation day when I
decided to challenge myself
to compete in the classroom
the saw way I had competed
in high school academics and
sports," said Anders,
a member of the state championship
basketball team and a state
final four softball team member.
"Once you get the feeling
of success," she said,
"it is a great motivator
and indeed I wanted to fell
that again. Walking through
the doors of SCC I decided
to use my resources wisely
by connecting with people
and offices who would help
me realize my goals."
She said Student Support
Services guided her and
helped push her to her goals.
The Learning Resource Center
helped her with any problems
that came up with classes.
But, best of all, she said,
"My instructors are
always willing to talk to
me inside and outside of
class. I feel as though
I have my own set of personal
trainers."
| Students
recognized at
the Academic Awards
Ceremony are honored
for outstanding
academic performance.
To qualify for
participation
in the honors
portion of the
program, a student
must have earned
a minimum of 30
semester hours
credit within
the last four
years by the end
of fall semester
at SCC, be enrolled
spring semester
and have a cumulative
Grade Point Average
(GPA) of 3.5 or
above. |
|
Anders said she feels she
is part of something very
important at SCC and that
it's like "hitting a
home run everyday."
Like Anders, Vendrell is
very goal oriented. "You
need to persevere and cultivate
the support of others so
simple hopes and dreams
can become reality,"
he said.
The realities he is currently
a part of are in stark contrast
to the realities he grew
up with as a third general
Cuban American. "Being
raised as a Hispanic has
its own benefits and differences,"
he said, "but the differences
at times have been complicated
at best."
He said he managed to "escape
the path to nowhere he experienced
in the suburbs outside of
Miami" and moved to
Western North Carolina where
"I was given the chance
to focus my attention on
my professional development
and future career goals."
In August he will move to
New York City to attend
the prestigious Gemological
Institute of America on
the 2009 Daniel Swarovski
and Company Scholarship.
"So much as come to
pass in my life and memories
have come to stay, but the
memories and instruction
that were the most helpful,
positive and constructive
were those at Southwestern
Community College- and more
specifically those of my
advisor and instructor,
Wilda Walker," he said.
"Mrs. Walker saw a
spark of opportunity within
me, something more than
the mediocre and complacent.
She saw the potential for
greatness I had within and
guided me in pursuit and
development of that greatness
into reality. Her courses
in professional development,
business communication and
leadership have allowed
me to look past my Hispanic
background and realize that
there is nothing that restrains
me except myself."
Awards:
Students
who maintain a perfect
4.0 cumulative GPA
shall receive “high
honors”
recognition, which
is designated by an
asterisk(*) beside
their names. |
Arts
and Sciences
Dr. Barbara Putman,
Dean |
Associate
in Arts
Business Administration
Alexander Degrande
Desiree Reagan* Associate
in Arts
College Transfer
Brandi Anders
Phillip Bateman
Shelby Blanton
Amanda Bowman*
Amy Burton
Malgorzata Chockla
Adrienne Clark*
Traci Cogdill
Lisa Duvall
Cieara Gregory
Jessica Harless
Steve Hemenway
Stephanie James
Peter Lloyd
Megan McConnell
James McCoy
Jessica Mercer
Valerie Moore
Jennifer Morgan
Jeffrey Moses
Sweta Patel
Kevin Price
Kae Randall
James Richter*
Christopher Roberts
Lisa Sharpe
Debra Shepherd
Stacey Sprague
Jordan Stevens
Kathleen Stilwell
Tawana Valentine
Associate
in Arts
Criminal Justice
Maria Henry
Associate
in Arts
Elementary Education
Aimee Holland
Nichole Rowland
|
Associate
in Arts
Fine Arts
Henrietta Heeter
Kimberley Karr
Associate
in Arts
Political Science
Ian Gilleland
Associate
in Arts
Psychology
Bonnie Baker
Titus Laney
Associate
in
General Education
Misty Burrell
Casey Jones
Laura Mulks
Ashley Queen
Dual Enrolled
Jarrett Alley
Brian Lenau
Elizabeth Siegfried
Early College
High School
Margaret Arnold
Savannah Bell
Ansley McAllister
Huskins Bill
Students
Benjamin Stewart
Special Credit
Lauren Klinect
Heidi Krape
Michael Park
Samantha Shepherd
Marcin Trabski
Patricia Wall |
Career
Technologies
Dr. Thom Brooks, Dean |
Accounting
Sheila Anders
Elana Norton
Advertising
&
Graphic Design
Dana Butrick
Brenda Clark*
Bay Jones
Andrew Porter
Tracey Stalcup*
Business
Administration
Corrie Andrews
Jared Gates
Rebecca Hendrix
Ramola Hyde
Sheila Morgan
Christopher Vendrell
Business
Administration
Electronic-Commerce
Amy Brantley
Rachell Phillips
Civil Engineering
Technology
Daniel Allison*
Renee Cooney
Michael Hall*
Computer
Engineering
Technology
Bobby Thompson
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Computer
Information
Technology
Wyatt Chiltoskie
David Green
David Sherwood
Cosmetology
Britni Mason
Melissa Shelton Cosmetology
Manicuring & Nail
Technology
Kelsa Mason
Criminal Justice
Technology
Noma Craig
Katie McCoy
Criminal
Justice
Technology
Latent Evidence
Meghan Bates
Stephanie Ford*
Culinary
Technology
Kimberly Mizell
Rebecca Royse
Jennifer Wiggins
Cyber Crime
Technology
Nancy Freeman
Mark Moore*
Early Childhood
Education
Crystal Collins
Virginia Hylton
Judy Strickland*
|
Early
Childhood
Education
Teacher Associate
Marcie Maney
Kristina Owen*
Electronics
Engineering
Technology
Rory Branning
Jonathan Gass*
Daniel Keener
Information
Systems
Technology
Duane Strain
Office Systems
Technology
Heather Stillwell*
Paralegal
Technology
Tausha Benjamin
Carolyn Smith*
Surveying
Technology
Serena Moody
David Moore
William White
Web Technology
Paige Christie *
Yoonsoon Ha *
Elizabeth Henry
Robin Shufelt*
Lindsey Turrentine |
Students
who maintain a perfect
4.0 cumulative GPA
shall receive “high
honors”
recognition, which
is designated by an
asterisk(*) beside
their names. |
Health
Sciences
Dr. Debra M. Klavohn,
Dean |
Health
Information
Technology
Linda McCall
Nicole McDaniel*
Human Services
Technology
Melissa Hansen
Human Services
Technology/Substance
Abuse
Shannon Bailey
Ryan Brooks
Aileen Green
Medical Assisting
April Belcher
Sheyenne Berndt
Jessica Burrell
Leilani Deaver
Jessica Moody
Adrienne Tison
Medical Sonography
Patrick Elworthy
Nursing-Associate’s
Degree
Kristin Appleby
Amy Beane*
Lauren Garrett
Beth Jones
Crystal Munoz
Marsha Northrup
Jennifer Roberts
|
Outdoor Leadership
Matthew Chrestman
Kelly Cochran
Paul Killian
Douglas Wyatt
Physical
Therapist
Assistant
Jacqueline Burris*
Frances Dickson
Jennifer Dobbins
Stephanie Harrington
Radiography
Aaron Carpenter
Cheryl Fagnant
Chelsie Gilbert
Austin Hahn
Benjamin Kendrick
Christy Pee
Alina Phillips
Jacquelyn Revis
Andrea Shelton
Kayla Woods
Respiratory
Therapy
Courtney Carlisle
Kevin Chambers
Christina Dartez
Thomas Lynch
Summer Milner
Jennifer Siler
Therapeutic
Massage
Michelle Stewart |
| Other
Awards |
All-Usa
Today
Community College
Academic Team
Martha Hall
Christopher Miglino* |
NCCCS Academic
Excellence Award
Brandi Anders
Christopher Vendrell |
Robert
W Scott
Leadership Award Nominee
Daniel Keener
Sylva Rotary
Club
Student of the Month
Jacqueline
Burris*
Daniel Keener
Erin Parris
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Students of
Distinction
Rory Branning
Frances Dickson
Dianna Dowd-Lebow* |
Stephanie Ford*
Jonathan Gass*
Kristy Jones |
Daniel Keener
Bobby Thompson Jennifer
Wiggins |
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Who’s
Who
Martha Hall
Henrietta Heeter |
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Last
updated
4/21/09
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