Students recognized at annual Honors Day programs
The College celebrated its 56th annual Honors Day in 2022
Gadsden State held its 56th annual Honors Day events in April 2022 at the Cheaha Center on the Ayers Campus in Anniston and at the Wallace Hall Fine Arts Center in Gadsden. The program spanned two days and recognized student achievements and scholarship presentations. Almost 300 awards and scholarships were given.
Traditionally, one of the highest honors presented each spring is the Allen-Ray Award. The award, which has been presented at every Honors Day program over the past 55 years, is presented in honor of the late Sen. James B. Allen and the late Jack Ray, former CEO of the Exchange Bank of Alabama. Both men were active supporters of Gadsden State. Rickey Ray, the son of the late Jack Ray, presented the 2022 Allen-Ray Award to Kourtney Tillman.
Tillman, a resident of Southside, served as the vice president of the Student Government Association representing Gadsden State Cherokee during the 2021-22 academic year. She was elected SGA president in the fall of 2022. She is a peer tutor with the Cardinal Tutoring Center and is an embedded tutor in remedial math to assist her fellow students. She is president of her nursing cohort and a member of the TRIO for Success Club, the Student Disciplinary Committee and Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. She has been on both the President’s List and the Dean’s List and was a member of the 2022 Homecoming Court. Tillman has earned a certificate in Practical Nursing, an Associate in Applied Science in Registered Nursing and an Associate in Science in General Studies at Gadsden State.
In addition to winning the Allen-Ray Award, she was also awarded a Student of Distinction Award, Outstanding SGA Officer Award and Outstanding Cardinal Tutoring Center Peer Tutor Award.
Right: Kourtney Tillman with the Allen-Ray Award
The President’s Cup, a designated award for students who demonstrate exceptional success in all phases of college life, is presented each year to students in both the academic and technical divisions. It is given by Dr. Kathy Murphy, GSCC president.
The Academic Division recipient for the Etowah County campuses and Gadsden State Cherokee was Kennedy Fox of Hokes Bluff. Fox received an Associate in Science in General Studies with a short-term certificate in Surgical Operating Room Technology at the May 5, 2022, commencement ceremonies at Gadsden State Cherokee. While at Gadsden State, she served as president of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society and served as a tutor in the Cardinal Tutoring Center. She was named to the 2022 All-Alabama Academic Team and was instrumental in PTK achieving the Distinguished Honors in Action Hallmark Award. In February 2022, she was crowned Gadsden State’s Homecoming Queen.
During Honors Day, Fox also received the Jacksonville State University Presidential Transfer Scholarship and the University of Alabama at Birmingham Transfer Presidential Scholarship, worth a combined total of $32,000. She plans to obtain a bachelor’s degree before applying to a physician’s assistant graduate program.
The Academic Division recipient of the President’s Cup for the Ayers Campus was Jerod Robbie Guthrie of Anniston. He received an Associate in Science in General Studies at the May 5, 2022, commencement ceremony. He has enrolled at the University of Alabama at Birmingham to pursue a bachelor’s degree in Accounting. At Gadsden State, he served as a peer tutor in the CTC and served on the Accounting Advisory Committee. He was a member of Phi Theta Kappa and was active in Student Support Services. He was also on the 2022 Gadsden State Homecoming Court.
Right: Jerod Robbie Guthrie received the Academic Division of the President’s Cup for the Ayers Campus from Dr. Kathy Murphy
In addition to winning the President’s Cup at Honors Day, Guthrie was recognized as the Outstanding Accounting Student, and he received the UAB Transfer Pathway Scholarship.
The Technical Division recipient of the President’s Cup for the Etowah County campuses and Gadsden State Cherokee was Hannah Kate Dale of Centre. Dale is a student in the Precision Machining Program. She started her educational journey at Gadsden State as a dual enrollment student. She went on to earn the Gene Haas Scholarship Award and became the first in her family to enroll as a college student. At Gadsden State, Dale is a member of the Project MFG Machining Competition Team. She and her teammates participate in joint machining, programing and welding competitions that are funded and supported by the U.S. Department of Defense.
The Ayers Campus Technical Division recipient of the President’s Cup was Nathaniel King of Jacksonville. He was a non-traditional student who earned an Associate in Applied Science in Electronics Engineering Technology at the Ayers Campus in 2022. He came to Gadsden State in search of a new career after the closure of the Goodyear tire plant, where he worked for 25 years. At 50 years old, the married father of three decided to use funds provided to displaced workers to enroll at Gadsden State. King is a musician at his church, where he also volunteers with its food ministry, and he teaches taekwondo at the Anniston Aquatic Center.
At the previous Honors Day in 2021, King was the recipient of the Outstanding History Student Award and the Outstanding Automotive Manufacturing Student Award. At 2022 awards ceremony, he received the Outstanding Electronics Engineering Student Award.
For a complete list of Honors Day winners, see "Outstanding students honored at Honors Day programs.”