College Presents Academic Excellence Awards to Top Students
WINTERVILLE—Pitt Community College held its annual Academic Excellence Awards ceremony March 25 to celebrate top students for classroom achievement and volunteerism.
The program, said PCC President Lawrence Rouse, was an opportunity for PCC to recognize students who have maintained high standards with regard to their academic pursuits and civic engagement, in spite of the ongoing pandemic.
“As we all know, the 2021-22 academic year has been challenging,” Rouse said. “The students we’re honoring today have overcome unforeseen circumstances as well as the typical challenges associated with pursuing a college credential. Not only have they succeeded in their studies, they’ve done so exceptionally well while being of service to campus and their communities.”
PCC faculty and staff nominate students for Academic Excellence Awards each spring. Recipients are given a certificate and special medallions crafted by Pitt Machining Technology students in commemoration of their achievement.
“Remember, your award today is the beginning …,” said Dr. Thomas Gould, PCC Executive Vice President of Academic Affairs and Student Services. “In your case, it means moving the bar higher and taking yourself to the next level.”
As part of the ceremony, PCC announced the recipients of several special awards.
Victor Long, an Industrial Management Technology major, was selected as Pitt’s recipient of a State Academic Excellence Award from the N.C. Community College System (NCCCS). A Dean’s List student with a 3.94 GPA, Long has been a volunteer with the Robersonville Ruritan Club, United Way, Love a Sea Turtle’s “Paint the Drain” program, and the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission’s “Hunting Matters! ‘Hats On’ Mentoring Campaign.”
Building Construction student Harriss Evans received the 2022 President’s Scholarship Award worth $1,000 from the PCC Foundation. Evans is a PCC Student Ambassador with a 3.83 GPA. He also volunteers with Upward Basketball and Bible School at Greenville’s Jarvis United Methodist Church.
This year’s $500-President’s Award went to Jennifer Beatty, a University Transfer student nearing graduation with a 4.0 GPA. A National Society of Leadership and Success (NSLS) member, she also volunteered with a recent PCC Adopt-A-Highway roadside cleanup.
Division Awards were presented to students Sarah Cooke (Arts and Sciences), Stephen Rockwell (Business), Long (Construction and Industrial Technology), Krystan Simpson (Health Sciences) and Helaina Black (Public Services and Fine Arts). Each student received $250 through the honor.
Awards were also given to Johnny McCarter III and Savannah Pitvorec for excellence in Developmental Studies courses. McCarter was also announced as Pitt’s nominee for the Dallas Herring Achievement Award from NCCCS.
PCC softball player Abigail Carpenter, a Business Administration: Human Resource Management student, and baseball’s Martin Zelenka, a University Transfer student, received Student-Athlete Awards in recognition of academic achievement, good sportsmanship, and the positive impact they’ve had on their teams and community.
Architectural Technology student Matthew Simpkins was named PCC’s nominee for NCCCS’s Gov. Robert W. Scott Student Leadership Award. Simpkins has a 3.91 GPA and is a member of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, NSLS, and Gamma Beta Phi National Honor Society. He received the Hope Lodge Volunteer of the Year Award in 2018.
04/04/2022