Institutional Honors

Northeast State honors its Most Distinguished Faculty, Administrative/Professional, and Support Staff members with awards presented annually at Fall Convocation in August. The Distinguished Staff Awards recognize employees who demonstrate excellence in teaching and service that impacts the College and the student body. Staff members who meet eligibility criteria are nominated by students or fellow employees. The recipients of the awards are selected by the Distinguished Staff Awards Committee.

The awards are part of the Statewide Outstanding Achievement Recognition Awards (SOAR) sponsored by the Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR), the College System of Tennessee. SOAR offers tremendous opportunities for students, faculty, and staff through competitive award programs that select state-wide outstanding recipients in each category for both community colleges and colleges of applied technology. 

NeSCC award recipients include:

Year	Faculty	Administrative	Support Staff
2020-21	Dr. Donna Farrell	Olivia Wyatt	Summer Wright
2019-20	Derrick Thacker	Bob Carpenter	Jennifer Kendrick
2018-19	Tricia Crawford	Jessica Kelso	Jessica Fields
2017-18	Richard Merritt	James Henrichs	John Adcox (SOAR Staff Member of the Year)
2016-17	Charles Charlton	Chris Hitechew	Melissa Brickey
2015-16	Tempi Hale	Jennifer Starling	Dottie Corey

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Full-time tenured faculty who have served Northeast State Community College for a minimum of 15 years and who are eligible for state retirement benefits, who have made significant contributions and service to the College, and who have retired in good standing from Northeast State are considered for emeritus faculty status upon retirement. Candidates for the Faculty Emeritus Award must be recommended for emeritus status within two years from the date of retirement.

Faculty Emeritus recipients and their dates of service:

• Dottie L. Whitesides, English, 1979-1995
• Nancy F. Forrester, Mathematics, 1984-2013
• Dr. Kurt W. Kominek, Computer and Information Sciences, 1994-2016
  
• William R. Wilson, Humanities, 1990-2018

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Students receiving associate degrees with final cumulative grade point averages of 3.9 to 4.0 will be awarded Summa Cum Laude (Highest Honors), while those with final cumulative grade point averages of 3.75 to 3.89 will be awarded Magna Cum Laude (High Honors). Graduates with final cumulative grade point averages of 3.5 to 3.74 will be awarded Cum Laude (Honors). Learning Support grade point averages will not count toward calculation of either semester or graduation honors. Northeast State has one commencement ceremony per year, which is at the end of the spring semester; therefore, graduation honors are calculated at the end of the fall semester. The graduation honors designation will be included in the graduation program, the graduation ceremony, and all news releases concerning graduation.

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Community service recognition programs for higher education students and faculty/staff at the campus level were created in Tennessee through legislation enacted by the General Assembly in 1991. The Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC) administers the program to recognize Outstanding Community Service performed by the faculty, staff, and students of Tennessee’s higher education institutions, including public and private two- and four-year institutions. In 1997, the awards were named for the late Representative Harold Love, Sr. who was instrumental in passing the enabling legislation.

Elected to the General Assembly in 1968, Rep. Love was known for his compassion and good humor. With the welfare of his community as his primary concern, Rep. Love went to any lengths to help a constituent in need, even if it meant giving from his own pocket. That is why, whenever he was present during a session of the Tennessee House of Representatives, it was said, “Love is in the House.” Five student and five faculty/staff winners state-wide are named each year. Each individual recipient receives a $1,000 prize and is honored at the annual awards ceremony in Nashville.

Love Award recipients from Northeast State include:

• 2018 – S. Abigail Saulsbury, Student
• 2015 – David E. Haga, Faculty 

Honors Convocation is held annually in April and is considered one of the two most important events sponsored by the College. The other is the yearly Commencement Ceremony for graduating students. Awards for outstanding students in each academic program area and the overall Northeast State Outstanding Student Award finalists and semi-finalists are recognized during Honors Convocation. In addition, individuals and organizations that have made significant contributions on behalf of the College at the state and national levels are honored. Selection of the recipients varies by award and/or program.

Download a copy of the latest Honors Convocation program book to view a complete list of the academic year's honorees: 

• 2018-2019 Honors Convocation
• 2017-2018 Honors Convocation
• 2016-2017 Honors Convocation
• 2015-2016 Honors Convocation

Northeast State Community College and the Northeast State National Alumni Association recognize a graduate with the Outstanding Alumni Award each year at Honors Convocation. The award honors an alumni who has made significant contributions in one or more of the following categories: Northeast State, career, or community. Alumni are nominated by Northeast State students, faculty, staff, alumni, or community members. The recipient of the award is selected by the Outstanding Alumni Award Committee. 

Outstanding Alumni Award winners include:

• 2020 – Heath Quinn, Sync Space Entrepreneur Center
• 2019 – Alexander Hall '68, '80, Retired
• 2018 – Dr. Susan Graybeal '92, King University
• 2017 – Rep. Timothy Hill '03, Tennessee's 3rd House District
• 2016 – Donald Coleman '87, Northeast State Community College
• 2015 – Dannette Williams '04, Marriott International

Northeast State’s Outstanding Student Award honors a graduating student who demonstrates excellence in academics, career preparation, and service that impacts College constituencies. Nominees for the Outstanding Student Award are selected by faculty and staff from students scheduled to complete associate degrees during the academic year of nomination with a minimum required GPA, who make significant service contributions to the College or community, and who meet additional eligibility criteria. The recipient of the award is selected by the Outstanding Student Award Selection Committee.

The Outstanding Student Award is part of the Statewide Outstanding Achievement Recognition Awards (SOAR) sponsored by the Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR), the College System of Tennessee. SOAR offers tremendous opportunities for students, faculty, and staff through competitive award programs that select state-wide outstanding recipients in each category for both community colleges and colleges of applied technology.  

Help us find our missing Outstanding Student Award winners! We are searching for the names of the students who received the Outstanding Student Award (then known as the Faculty Scholarship Award) in 1982-83, 1984-85, 1985-86, and 1989-90. If you are the award winner or have documentation of the award winner’s name, please contact studentdevelopment@NortheastState.edu. 

NeSCC Outstanding Student Award winners include:

2021-22 - Bryan Kirk, Business Administration, Economics, Finance, Management, and Accounting

2020-21– Melanie Fischer, Social Work

2019-20 – Tuan A. Nguyen, Economics/Marketing

2018-19 – Monica L. Tucker, Social Work/Sociology

2017-18 – Jason M. Abernathy, Criminal Justice/General Transfer

2016-17 – Kerri E. Jones, Biology  

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NeSCC Outstanding Student Veteran winners include:

• 2020-21 – Daniel Tucker
• 2018-19 – John Hansen
• 2016-17 – Joni Hughes

The Outstanding Student Organization Advisor Award recognizes faculty and staff who voluntarily serve as advisors to the College's student organizations, clubs, and programs. The criteria for the award include being a student organization advisor for a minimum of two years with the same club or organization and exhibiting model behaviors in the performance of the duties and responsibilities of a student organization advisor as described in the Northeast State and Tennessee Board of Regents policies and procedures. The award is sponsored by Student Life. 

Award winners include: 

• 2018-19 – Eric Stanton, Criminal Justice Society
• 2017-18 – Virginia Reed, TRiO CLuB
• 2016-17 – Laura Barnett, Volunteer Northeast State
• 2015-16 – Rayma Gibbs, Northeast State Scholars Foundation
• 2014-15 – Nona Shepherd, Sci-fi/Fantasy Guild
• 2013-14 – Jane Honeycutt, Phi Theta Kappa's Alpha Iota Chi Chapter 
  

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The President’s All-Academic Team designation recognizes graduating students who maintained a 4.0 GPA throughout their college-level course work. These students are honored individually during the annual Honors Convocation in April.

Joseph Adamo
Edward Adams
Heidi Allen
Zachary Andina
Katherine Beach
Andrew Black
Amanda Brillhart
Jessica Campbell
Joseph Canady
Donna Carter
Brenden Christie
Makenzie Clark
Darrell Cole
Mia Damico
Jacob Dunn
Sydney Eades
Timothy Fisher
Wyatt George
Jonathan Green
Gary Hall
Benjamin Hoilman
Arvel Jacobs
Elizabeth James
Abbie Johnson
Sarah Jones
Yoojean Kong
Susan LaFever
Brandon Linkous
Megan Lunsford
Emily Markland
Jennifer Melendez
Kimberly Miller
Ethan Moody
Zachary Overbay
Melissa Payne
Dustin Pendergrass
Brittany Pickelheimer
Alexis Potter
Hannah Price
Jamie Rich
Joshua Rimell
Rachel Scarberry
Madison Simounet
Abigail Smith
Kendall Smith
McKenna Squires
Nichole Taylor
Isabella Thomas
Thomas Thornton
Mikayla Tipton
Sidney Vaughan
Shelby Waye
Anne Weaver
Kirsten Wiggins
ReAnn Wilson
Tess Woodard

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Matthew Adkins
Magnus V. Allen
Jonathan David Barrett
Sherianne Elizabeth Beach
Chelsea Marie Begley
Barbara Jo Bell
Hannah B. Bellamy
Brianna Madison Birchfield
Abigail E. Black
Leighanna Lauren Bond
Megan E. Buckles
Tammy Renee Carrier
Amy Michelle Chapman
Nataliya Vasylivna Chibizova
Nathaniel Ray Clark
David Lee Clayton
Ansley Elizabeth Cook
Katlynn Naomi Crowe
Daniel Raymond Dotson
Mona Dotson
Bethany Annette Duncan
Sarrah Grace Eggers
Pandy Lynn Elkins
Paige Elliott
Sydney Ellyn Fritts
Bethany Galovin
Jan Denning Garver
Janet H. Green
Amy Gregg
Julian Lindy Gullotta
Johanna Rachelle Hamblen
Dempsey Lee Harold
Kelsi Hatcher
Thearon Benjamin Hearne
Cecilia Hernandez Garcia
Haley Morgan Huffman
Tataya Ann Johnson
Jennifer Starr Grindstaf Jones
Katie Jordan
Breaca E. Judd
Daniel Wilson Kilgore
Melanie Leigh Klaus
Jacob Krutak
Autumn Loggans
Kelly Patrick Mayes
Jeffrey Allen McCamy
Taylor Kaye McConnell
Jessica Marie McPeek
Derek Wayne Miller
Tuan Anh Nguyen
Tracy Nicole Ogan
Katie Lynn Parker
Amber R. Parks
Luke Daniel Pigeon
Douglas Hope Roark
Emily B. Rogers
Lisa A. Simpson
Hannah Starnes
Kaytlin M. Stout
Mechele Stykes
Brandon M. Templeton
Millicent Rose Annabelle Thompson
Trisha Ann Thompson
Christopher Dylan Usary
Caroline Rebekah Walsh
William Yount

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Mattie V. Atkins
McKayla Baker
Brandon L. Ball
Myra E. Bower
Madison K. Camus
Mark A. Carr
Derek A. Cartozzo
Nadia D. Clementi
Donald S. Coleman
Payton Culbertson
Johnny H. Davis
Khristian Demelo
Tory D. Dillard
Kevin M. Duncan
Eden B. Fenner
Jason A. Fields
Joshua D. Fields
Kevin D. Fleenor
Laurel V. Fortener
Kaitlyn B. Frady
Miranda E. Honeycutt
Adam R. Johnson
Christopher B. Jones
Katie Jordan
Krystal M. Kinsey
Amy M. Krekelberg
Richard H. Lloyd
Rachael D. Malone
Jacob R. Maurer
Jayden N. McCurry
Brianna D. McMillan
Charis E. McReynolds
Emily N. Napier
Scott Philipp
Harrison L. Pollitte
Sophia M. Quick
James J. Roundtree
Alexis B. Ryans
Jahna M. Rynes
Anthony D. Salas
Randy J. Salvagno
Amber R. Sams
Kendra L. Shipley
Taylor D. Shockley
Diana M. Smith
Katelyn Smith
Corey L. Snodgrass
Madison Snyder
Samuel A. Sparks
Sally L. Steadman
Dakota K. Steffey
Janet B. Stork
Gavin L. Strawn
Carsen R. Terry
Rebekah N. Thatcher
Lauren H. Thompson
Brenda G. Tipton
Michelle R. Tolliver
Tiffany D. Townsend
Leslie L. Trippel
Alexander J. Valdez
Nathaniel P. Valentine
Alexis R. Wallen
Cody L. Ward
Allison D. Weber
Sydni A. White

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Jason M. Abernathy
Micah J. Arnold
Rebecca A. Arwood
Charli A. Bare
DeAnna F. Barrett
David T. Barton
Andrew M. Beach
Hannah G. Beach
Shawn Benson
April R. Blevins
Emrie P. Boone
Trey R. Brown
Bryce Buckland
Alicia M. Bynum
Autumn K. Byrd
Trevor J. Calton
Mark A. Carr
Trevor B. Carter
Roberto G. Chacon
Charles Champagne
Victoria E. Childress
Dorina J. Coggins
Maggie A. Coleman
Alexa L. Cooper
Johnny H. Davis
Delayna A. Dykes
Carri N. Flanagan
Gregory A. Glessing
Alec J. Glovier
Neeley Guinn
Payton M. Hammitt
Joshua D. Head
Joshua C. Hobbs
Samuel E. Icenhour
Jenna B. Jacobs
Sheila G. Johns
Cooper I. McCoy
Jessica M. McPeek
Sydnee A. Merritt
Kaitlin A. Miller
Jonathan A. Mnich
Haley L. Moore
Ethan L. Nussio
Eyan P. Nussio
Jordan A. Ortega
Dominic Peterson
Max K. Phillips
Harrison L. Pollitte
Chayla N. Quillin
Anabelle G. Rowe
Anthony D. Salas
Elizabeth D. Salyers
S. Abigail Saulsbury
Alexa L. Sexton
Matthew S. Shannon
Joy L. Shepherd
Gabriel D. Skiera
Darrell D. Smith
Konner S. Smith
Corey L. Snodgrass
Toby J. Stidham
Chelsea M. Temple
Kaitlin E. Tittle
Holly C. Wagner
Isaac P. Wyco
Abdelhadi Zaoui

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William J. Allen
Lisa M. Althaus
Courtney L. Arnold
Abigail E. Bell
Allison B. Bennett
Daniel A. Bishop
Sarah L. Black
Harley D. Blevins
Mary A. Bouton
Neal O. Brantner
Gloria J. Bridges
Rachelle K. Byrd
Mark A. Carr
William H. Carr 
Nathan P. Carrier
Cassie E. Charlton
Ansley E. Cook
Patrick B. Cooley
Ashlyn M. Crowe
Christopher D. Estep
Daniel L. Finnie
Mark T. Fleming
Joshua A. Ganious
Michelle K. Grazier
Tiffany A. Hall
Earl K. Hardin
Jason T. Hinkle
Johnathan P. Holmes
Megan B. Honaker
Teresa P. Horton
Anna M. Hunigan
Landis H. Johnson
Tyler M. Jones
Kurt W. Kominek
Terina C. Lovelace
Seth F. Manning
Noah M. Marks
Joely D. McClain
Ashlee M. Miller
Rachel C. Moncier
Lejla Muhic
Jordan A. Ortega
Andrew D. Osborne
Emma S. Perry
J. Harper Pollitte
John D. Porter
Angelia D. Ratliff
Rachel N. Reavis
Jacob A. Reece
Isaac M. Roberts
Brandon D. Sexton
Catherine A. Shook
Sarah E. Stewart
Chelsea M. Temple
Jared L. Thaxton
Kilian S. Thomas
Andrew S. Tokarz
Christina R. Tokarz
Amanda Trent
Ethan C. Troutman
Jared W. Waesche
Kimberly Y. Wheeler
Carly N. Williams

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William J. Allen
Jesse A. Ball
Bronston-James K. Batara
Sarah L. Black
Christina M. Blevins
Matthew T. Boyd
Kevin Brown
Shawna L Burrow
William P. Byington
Ryan T. Campbell
Justin R. Carter
Christopher D. Cody
Charity M. Conkin
Ethan C. Crawford
Jason A. Crawford
Austin E. Cross
Whitney B. Culbertson
John J. Deakins
David J. Dexter
Jacob M. Ellis
Christopher D. Estep
Kyla L. Faust
Hannah L. Fink
Victoria T. Fleming
Tina M. Fullington
Melinda S. Gouge
Brent Grindstaff
Peter J. Hartman
Victoria G. Hewlett
Alicia B. Holley
Brittanie L. Hubbard
Landis H. Johnson
Melindalou N. Johnson
Annie L. King
Mary M. Klug
Eileen B. Madden
Savannah A. Maxwell
Ashlee M. Miller
Jimmy L. Murphy
Melissa A. Napier
Andrew D. Osborne
Maria G. Rice
Jeffrey L. Robinson
Taylor L. Slaughter
Darrell D. Smith
Logan B. Taylor
Paul E. Taylor III
Carolyne S. Thomas
Kelly R. Tolley
Christopher B. Vermejan
Suzanne R. Watson
James C. Weaver
Isaac R. Wentz
Kimberly Y. Wheeler
Heather D. White
Heather Willson
Garrett G. Wright
John G. Yeazel

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Sharon F. Baird
Alicia LeeAnn Bales
Melissa Botaro Rosa Bowers
Emmaline Hope Bragg
Joshua Lee Capwell
Conner Shane Collette
Hannah Patricia Davis
David J. Dexter
Samuel Jacob Estepp
Sam P. Fanning
Carly Denise Fields
Jennifer Anne Fields
Abigail L. Freeburn
Matthew S. George
Sequan Q. Griffin
Jenny Lynn Hilton
Taylor P. Jenkins
Karen Lawson
McKensie GraceAnn McGee
David T. Medukas
Ronald G. Mullikin
Carie Ann Payne
William Daniel Potter
James Brian Raxter
Bridgette Ilene Smith
Jacob W. Smith
Tabitha Brooke Smith
Charles R. Spencer
Jonathan Ray Stacey
Ian Edward Woodworth

 

Visit the Program Area Awards web page for listings of students who have been named as the Outstanding Students in their major programs.

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Volunteers of the Year

Community is one of Northeast State Community College's core principles. As the region's community college, Northeast State models servant-leadership in its programs and services to encourage community engagement by students, faculty, and staff. To this end, Volunteer Northeast State coordinates service-learning initiatives and nurtures partnerships between the College and community agencies. The organization also serves as a clearinghouse of community service activities and maintains records to document service.

Volunteer Northeast State sponsors the Volunteer of the Year Awards to recognize campus individuals and organizations that make significant impact through volunteer service. Eligible service activities include those performed on campus to benefit the Northeast State community as well as the community at-large.

Volunteer of the Year Award winners include:

Year	Student	Staff	Faculty	Student Organization
2018-19	Joni Hughes	No Award	No Award	Council for Leadership, Advocacy, and Student Success
2017-18	Abigail Saulsbury	Virginia Salmon	Richard Merritt	Criminal Justice Society
2016-17	Michael McGee	Linda Hamilton	Michele Glass	GREENS Club
2015-16	Caroline Little	Julie Murray	Wayne Loving	Phi Theta Kappa

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Who's Who Among Students at Northeast State Community College honors outstanding campus leaders for their scholastic and community achievements. These students are recognized individually during the annual Honors Convocation in April.

Prior to 2018, recipients were recognized with listings in Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges®, which ceased publication in 2017.

Thomas L. Adams
Myra E. Bower
Megan E. Buckles
Cynthia E. Byrd
Angela Cobble
Megan M. Daniel
Robert E. Dunlop
Hannah M. Faucher
Savannah T. Honaker
Joni M. Hughes
Summer R. Hunley
Malayna E. Johnson
Christopher B. Jones
Steven M. Jones
Zackary T. Keith
Brianna D. McMillan
Jared C. McQueen
Hunter M. Page
Samantha M. Parrish
Bethany G. Perhne
Sophia M. Quick
Abigail B. Rasnick
Hannah G. Smith
Zachary A. Staton
Gavin L. Strawn
Jessica E. Sweet-Claudio
Brandon M. Templeton
Monica L. Tucker
Mark A. Winters

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Jason M. Abernathy
April A. Allen
Micah J. Arnold
Hannah G. Beach
Dorina J. Coggins
Tyler D. Cole
Mara L. Cox
Paige A. DiPirro
Delayna A. Dykes
Dakoda E. Goodwin
Alec B. Hamaker
Sarah J. Hyder
Tristan R. Lambert
Cooper I. McCoy
Sydnee A. Merritt
Cameron G. Mitchell
Harrison L. Pollitte
Lindsey M. Post
Anabelle G. Rowe
S. Abigail Saulsbury
Jonathan W. Stamey
Elizabeth N. VanHoy
Alexander M. Wittman
Kristin A. Woodby

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Heather G. Allen
Carollynn E. Anders
Emily J. Arrowood
Austin J. Bridges
Gloria J. Bridges
Nathan P. Carrier
Dorina J. Coggins
Daniel B. Hamilton
Kerri E. Jones
Seth F. Manning
Noah M. Marks
Daniel S. Nelson
David K. Nelson
Harrison L. Pollitte
Jonathan H. Pollitte
Jacob A. Selby
Austin L. Thaxton
Jared L. Thaxton
Tiffany D. Townsend
Amanda Trent
Mason D. Williams
Shannon D. Yerton

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William J. Allen
Gabe A. Bombailey
Shawna L. Burrow
John A. Cagle
Trisha Y. Carter
Fara A. Childers
Kayla N. Egan
Hannah L. Fink
Brianna N. Franklin
Jacob T. Gillenwater
Abigail R. Hathorn
Anna R. Heath
Dustin W. Hensley
Victoria G. Hewlett
Joseph M. Hicks
Melindalou N. Johnson
Annie L. King
Jimmy L. Murphy
Haley M. Page
Matthew T. Poole
Tessa L. Ross
Stephen N. Shepherd
Polly J. Steffey
Beverly D. Stipes