Etowah County: East Broad, Valley Street and Wallace Drive campuses in Gadsden, Ala.
Students recognized at annual Honors Day programs
In April 2023, Gadsden State Community College held its 57th annual Honors Day events at the Cheaha Center on the Ayers Campus in Anniston and at the Wallace Hall Fine Arts Center in Gadsden. The programs spanned two days of recognizing student achievements and scholarship presentations. Over 300 awards and scholarships were given with scholarships totaling more than $968,000. Seventy-three of those awards were given to Ayers Campus students.
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 56 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. Ricky Ray, the son of Jack Ray, presented the 2023 Allen-Ray Award to Vanessa Cope Cochran.
RIGHT: Vaness Cochran with Allen-Ray Award.
Cochran facilitated the PTK Honors in Action Project. Through the project, she and other PTK members collected puzzles and games for senior citizens. The items were distributed to local nursing homes and senior citizens with the goal of increasing mental, social and physical interaction for senior citizens. She was also instrumental in gathering data through a self-created Blackboard survey that helped increase student participation in Gadsden State activities. Through the TRIO for Success’s partnership with Sleep in Heavenly Peace, she has participated in building over 400 beds for local children. In addition to winning the most prestigious award, Cochran was also named a Student of Distinction and Outstanding CTC Peer Tutor.
President's Cup
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, president of Gadsden State.
The Academic Division recipient for the Etowah County campuses and Gadsden State Cherokee is Lilly Eve Rebarchik of Attalla. A 4.0 student, she has been named to the President’s List every semester she has been enrolled at Gadsden State. She is a Gadsden State Ambassador, a member of Phi Theta Kappa and president of Student Without Borders. She has taken the stage twice this year with Gadsden State’s Theatre Program appearing first in The Great Gatsby and later in The Taming of the Shrew. She is a general studies major with plans to pursue dentistry or nursing after completing Gadsden State requirements. At Honors Day, she also received the Student of Distinction Award.
LEFT: Rebarchik with the Etowah County/Gadsden State Cherokee campuses' President's Cup for the Academic Division.
BELOW: Mallorie Wiggins receiving the Ayers Campus President's Cup for the Academic Division from Vice President Dr. Tera Simmons.
The Academic Division recipient for the Ayers Campus is Mallorie Wiggins. At Gadsden State, she is a tutor for the Cardinal Tutoring Center, is active with Student Support Services and is a member of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. She is a resident of Heflin and serves as a volunteer ambassador for the Choccolocco Creek Watershed encouraging people to utilize the watershed’s land and outdoor activities. In addition to winning the President’s Cup, Wiggins also was named Outstanding CTC Peer Tutor. After completing her requirements for a general studies associate degree at Gadsden State, the 4.0 student plans to enroll at a four-year university with the objective of becoming a computer hardware engineer.
The Technical Division recipient of the President’s Cup for the Etowah County campuses and Gadsden State Cherokee is Julie Ann Ginn of Fort Payne. She came to Gadsden State when she decided to change careers after teaching math and statistics for 25 years. She is currently studying Medical Laboratory Technology with plans to enroll at Auburn University at Montgomery to work towards a bachelor’s degree in Medical Laboratory Science. As a Gadsden State student, she has maintained a 3.9 GPA while taking care of two sons and working as a lab assistant at Dekalb Regional Medical Center. She is a member of Phi Theta Kappa and the MLT Alpha Club. She also serves as a tutor in the Cardinal Tutoring Center. In the community, she has served as a volunteer for Samaritan’s Purse and the Salam Free Medical Clinic in Anniston. In addition to the President’s Cup, Ginn received the Rising Scholar Award at Honors Day.
LEFT: Julie Ginn with the Etowah County/Gadsden State Cherokee campuses' President's Cup for the Technical Division.
BELOW: Luke Devin receiving the Ayers Campus President's Cup for the Technical Division from Vice President Dr. Tera Simmons.
The Ayers Campus Technical Division recipient of the President’s Cup is Luke Devin of Boaz. He is enrolled in one of the most innovative and successful programs at Gadsden State: the FAME program. This program allows him and other selected students to combine cutting-edge curriculum with paid working experience. Devin received an Associate in Applied Science in Industrial Automation at the May 11, 2023, commencement ceremony. He is employed as a maintenance technician at Koch Foods in Gadsden. He has a 3.9 GPA and has been on the President’s List or Dean’s List for every semester he has been enrolled at Gadsden State. During Honors Day, Devin also received the Outstanding FAME Student Award and Student of Distinction Award.
