Gadsden State Community College recently held the annual Honor’s Day events in Gadsden at the Wallace Hall Fine Arts Center and in Anniston at the McClellan Center. The events span two days of recognizing student’s achievements and scholarship presentations. Over 150 students were honored and more than $285,000 was awarded in scholarships.
Traditionally one of the highest honors presented each spring is the Allen-Ray Award.
The award is presented in honor of the late Senator James B. Allen and the late Jack Ray, former CEO of the Exchange Bank of Alabama. Both men were active supporters of Gadsden State.
Michael David Holt of Rainbow City is the recipient of the 2013 Allen-Ray Award.
While attending Gadsden State on a Fine Arts Scholarship, Holt was chosen as a homecoming favorite and received Silver Scholar All-USA Academic Team recognition. He has a 4.0 GPA and plans to become a counselor.
The President’s Cup, a designated award for students who demonstrate exceptional success in all phases of college life, was presented to Mollie Joan Strickland of Gadsden and Donna Jean McBride of Anniston for the Academic Division. Steven Charles Martinez of Attalla and Kimberly Baird Dumas of Boaz received the award in the Technical Division. Strickland was president of SGA and Phi Theta Kappa and also a recipient of the Silver Scholar All-USA Academic Team recognition. McBride was a member of Phi Theta Kappa and Phi Beta Lambda. Martinez was president of the National Technical Honor Society and a NASA Aerospace Scholar. Dumas was a member of the Student Government Association.
Six students were presented awards for outstanding achievement including Michael Erwin of Anniston, Denise Gilbert of Jacksonville, Jessica Herrera and Darnell Mackey of Gadsden, Faith Mostella of Springville, and Sarah Van Vleck of Ashville.
Many other awards of recognition and scholarships were presented to additional students during the ceremony.
The following Gadsden campus students receive awards and scholarships:
Allen-Ray Award of Excellence-Michael Holt, Rainbow City;
President’s Cup Award-Academic Division-Mollie Strickland, Gadsden;
Technical Division-Steven Martinez, Attalla;
Outstanding Achievement Award-Jessica Herrera and Darnell Mackey, Gadsden; Faith Mostella, Springville, and Sarah VanVleck, Ashville;
All-Alabama Academic Team /All-USA Academic Team Silver Medalist / Outstanding Phi Theta Kappa Member-Michael Holt and Mollie Strickland;
Phi Theta Kappa Service Awa-Shawanna Roper, Attalla and Mollie Strickland;
James L. Brown Free Enterprise Scholarship-Austin Matthews, Gadsden;
Godfrey Family Foundation Scholarship-Savannah Wall, Rainbow City;
Sue McMeekin Griffith Memorial Scholarship-Chase Garrard, Centre;
Chad Hawkins Educational Foundation Scholarship-Trey White, Boaz;
E. O. McCord Endowment Scholarship-Megan Duncan, Attalla;
Nan Pentecost Scholarship-Neil Shull, Oxford;
Rena & Edgar McCord Scholarship-Heather Cranford, Glencoe;
Joseph T. Robertson Memorial Scholarship-Mary Ann Spellman, Birmingham;
Dr. Bernard J. Schroer Alabama Automotive Manufacturers Association & GSCC CARCAM Technical Scholarship-Jeremy Phillips, Gadsden;
Nell Thomas Nursing Scholarships-Taryn Broyles, Hokes Bluff and Angela Devereux, Gallant;
Jim Vanderford Technical Scholarship…Mikola Bowden and Josh Hamm, Gadsden; Chance Litwin, Rainbow City;
Dr. Jesse L. Walker, Jr. Business Faculty Scholarship-Taylor Burks, Southside; W.C. West Scholarship…Devan Reio, Gadsden;
Auburn University Transfer Scholarships—Board of Trustees-Joseph Johnson, Lincoln; Christopher Jones, Rainbow City; Faith Mostella, Springville; and Francisco Rivas, Gadsden;
Deans Advisory Council/Arlan Marie Johnson/B.S. Barlow & F.S. Baker/ James S. Boyd/AU Football Lettermen Club-Faith Mostella, Springville;
Katherine Lynne Stanley Scholarship-Chasity Richards, Gadsden;
University of Alabama Transfer Scholarship-Claire Lutes and Chelsea Morris, Glencoe; and Megan Smith, Boaz;
University of Alabama Huntsville–World of Kathy Chan Scholarship-Ashley Sawyer, Guntersville; and Christel L. McCanless & University Women’s Club Scholarship-Emily Stephens, Hokes Bluff;
University of Alabama Birmingham Transfer Scholarships/Scholarship of Distinction-Debra Hamilton and Nicholas Stellar, Anniston;
Excellence Scholarships-Yeitli Chacon, Albertville, and Patrick Rang, Anniston; and Phi Theta Kappa-Brittany Cosby, Springville and Mollie Strickland, Gadsden;
Jacksonville State University Presidential Scholarships-Benjamin Amerbson, Piedmont; Sarah Burgess, Alexandria; Peri Bryant, Ohatchee; Crimson Dooley, Fort Payne; Mary Edmondson, April Smith, and Dezarae Harper, Glencoe; Brandon Greene and Ricky Stapler, Gadsden; Taylor Hollis and Donna McBride, Anniston; Michael Holt, Rainbow City; and Erika Rollins, Oxford;
University of Montevallo President’s Scholarship-Stormy Finley, Gadsden;
Troy University Phi Theta Kappa Scholarship-McKenzie Slivka, Albertville;
Leading Edge Institute Graduates-Shawana Roper, Attalla and Mollie Strickland, Gadsden;
Linda Roberts Memorial Award for High Achievement in Office Administration-Leona Brown, Gadsden;
Outstanding Accounting Student-Crimson Dooley, Fort Payne;
Outstanding Accounting Technology Student-Vicki Livingston, Cedar Bluff;
Outstanding Economics Student-Daniel Cooner, Cedar Bluff and Joseph Faucett, Piedmont;
Outstanding Business Statistics Student-Carianne Hester, Pisgah;
Outstanding Achievement in Network Administration-Nate Bodine, Gadsden; Bunga Hamka, Indonesia; Mathew Jobish, India; Caleb Roberts, Jasper; and Andrew Todd, Horton;
Outstanding Achievement in Paralegal Studies-Donna Acker, Piedmont;
Lambda Epsilon Chi Inductees (Paralegal Studies)-Donna Acker, Jamie Cromer, Gaylesville; Krystal Dailey, Rainbow City; Brittany Morris, Talladega; and Lucretia Oliver, Geraldine;
Outstanding Ambassadors-Jessica Herrera, Gadsden; Taylor Hollis, Anniston; Jaleesa Mitchell, Jacksonville; Britney Montgomery, Sardis City; and Blake Turner, Alexandria;
Outstanding Art Student Award-Ricky Maddox, Boaz;
Outstanding Computer Science Student-Jerry Deberry, Leesburg;
Outstanding Achievement in General & Organic Chemistry-Kaitlyn Meads, Oxford;
Special Recognition for Samford University’s McWhorter School of Pharmacy Early Admission-Stephanie Moore, Southside;
Outstanding English Students-Emily Thomas and Hilary Romero, Gadsden;
Outstanding International Student.-Megumi Kaneko, Japan;
Outstanding Music Department Students-Laney Boman, Mary Brock, Suzanne Bruton, Carl J. Byers, Aric Collier, Dorothy Dusendschon, Amanda Franklin, and Lauren Marbut, Gadsden; Alexander Brooks, Wellington; Eythan Carter, Jacksonville; Zachary Hester, Geraldine; Jacob and Josh Lynch, Alexandria;
Outstanding Office Administration Student-Frankie Self, Gadsden;
Outstanding Pre-Engineering Major-Paul Fields, Gadsden and Trey White, Boaz;
Outstanding Southern Belle-Stephanie Champion, Springville;
Outstanding Technical Students/Applied Technologies: Auto Collision Repair Technology-Austin Leak, Horton;
Automotive Service Technology-Cody Robertson, Albertville;
Carpentry-Hunter Calvert, Guntersville;
Cosmetology Technology-Brittney Carroll, Hokes Bluff and Jessica Fulenwider, Altoona;
Cosmetology Esthetics Technology-Anna Rose Nix, Gadsden;
Cosmetology Nails Technology-Diana Lewis, Anniston;
Welding Technology-Brian Nelson, Gadsden;
Outstanding Technical Students/Engineering Technologies: Air Conditioning and Refrigeration-Bradly Higdon, Higdon;
Automotive Manufacturing Technology-Jorge Alegria, Glencoe;
Civil Engineering Technology-Marshall Bailey, Piedmont;
Electrical Technology-Ronald Lee Norris, Jr., Rainbow City;
Electronic Engineering Technology-Johnathan Williams, Piedmont;
Industrial Automation Technology-Eric Bradley, Gadsden;
Machine Tool Technology-Adam Talley, Southside;
Mechanical Design Technology-Jacob R. Morris, Gadsden;
Realtime Reporting Technology-Morgan Pate, Talladega;
Special Recognition—NASA Zero Gravity Team-Steven Martinez, Josh Gaddy, Jacob Lynch, and
Johnathan Williams
Outstanding Spanish Student-Faith Mostella, Springville;
Outstanding SGA Members-Ugoma Ozo-Ilo, Oxford; Shawanna Roper, Attalla; Mynjuan Smith, Anniston; and Charles Spencer and Mollie Strickland, Gadsden.
Certificates were presented at the conclusion of the program to students named to Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities & Colleges 2013.
