Employees honored with awards
Winners were announced at Fall 2022 Convocation
Dr. Tera Simmons, vice president of Gadsden State Community College, announced the winners of the Exceptional Achievement in Teaching Award and the Staff Excellence in Service Award during the September 2022 convocation at Gadsden State Cherokee.
“It is a privilege for me to stand before you to recognize outstanding employees at Gadsden State,” she said. “We have many wonderful faculty and staff members at our College; most of who give freely of their time and talents to improve the lives and educational experiences of our students.”
The Exceptional Achievement in Teaching Award is the highest honor bestowed on the faculty at Gadsden State. The award recognizes career achievements in teaching with emphasis on concrete accomplishments and proven results. The 2022 winner is Julie White.
White began her time at Gadsden State as a student in 1998, earning an Associate in Science degree in 2000. She went on to earn a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree from Jacksonville State University, and she is currently working towards a Doctorate of Philosophy through Liberty University.
In 2003, White started her career at Gadsden State as an adjunct instructor. Two years later, she was hired to work as a career coach, which allowed her to assist seniors in preparing for college. She became a full-time psychology instructor in 2011.
Because of her own experiences as a student at Gadsden State, White takes campus activities very seriously. She works at G-Day, Get on Board Day and the International Tea. She serves as the advisor for Psi Beta, the Psychology Club. Through the Club, she and her students are engaged with community speakers and volunteer opportunities, including collecting items for Project Homeless and participating in the Service Learning Program. She also serves Gadsden State as vice president of the Gadsden State Alumni Association.
White is a 2016 graduate of the Faculty Development Institute and completed the Gadsden State Leadership Development Institute. She is also a graduate of Leadership Calhoun County and is a regular volunteer for the United Way.
The Staff Excellence in Service Award recognizes individuals who have the ability to perform responsibilities in a proficient and capable manner and for their commitment to their co-workers and Gadsden State students. The 2022 winner is Brian Jones.
Jones is described as “innovative, imaginative, an independent thinker, a problem solver and forward thinker.” Oftentimes, he is the unseen hero who solves technology issues for Gadsden State students. Sometimes those issue require “outside-the-box thinking,” and he regularly goes above and behond to make sure he troubleshoots properly and solves any technical issues students and employees have.
A University of Phoenix graduate, Jones started his career at Gadsden State as a computer lab assistant in 2012, a position that allowed him to work directly with students on computer software instruction. That same year, he was named executive pastor at First Baptist Church of Southside. He earned his current role as a Help Desk / Support Technician II in the Information Technology Department in 2018.
Each of the award recipients receives $1,000 in discretionary funds within the appropriate department or division budget for the academic year to be used for equipment, professional development or teaching supplies.