Students Honored at Annual Awards Day Ceremony

Southwest Virginia Community College honored and celebrated student achievements at the college’s annual Awards Day ceremony on April 6, 2023.

Students receiving awards were nominated by faculty for their academic excellence in their programs of study, in addition to their exemplary participation, leadership, or service in college clubs and organizations.

The Workforce and Continuing Education program also honored students for their work while earning credentials. Student-athletes were also awarded for their accomplishments.

The award ceremony concluded with the college’s Student Government Association (SGA) selecting their top faculty and staff picks and honoring them on behalf of the student body.

The student awards include:

• Outstanding Achievement – Recognizes students who show outstanding exceptional improvement, growth, commitment or learning development in an academic subject.
• Program Leadership & Service – Recognizes students that demonstrate outstanding leadership and service within their program of study.
• Most Earned Program Credentials – Recognizes students that have received the highest number of credentials within their program.
• Club Leadership & Initiative – Recognizes club officers or members who have demonstrated motivation, initiative or leadership within a club or organization.
• Dean’s Award – Selected by the academic division dean for academic achievement.

This year’s award recipients are as follows:

Program: Business, Engineering & Industrial Technology

Most Earned Program Credentials

Avery Beecher Chaffin: Precision Machining

Constance Nipper: Electrical/Electronics

Connor Shelton: Electrical Installation

Joshua Thiel: Advanced Manufacturing & Advanced Precision Machining

Outstanding Achievement

James Bostic: Automotive Technology

Kevin Joseph Brooks: Advanced Manufacturing & HVAC

Devin Dailey: Cybersecurity

Mark Wayne Graham, Jr.: Business Administration

Isaac Griffith: Automotive Technology

James Christopher Horn II: Precision Machining

Tanner Lee Keys: Electrical

Amber Marie Montanez: Bookkeeping

Jayson Tyler Mullins: HVAC

Joshua Proffitt: Electrical/Electronics

Brittney Shrewsbury: Automotive Technology

John Millard Smith Jr.: Advanced Precision Machining

Grace Elizabeth Sword: Accounting

Lori Ann Smith: Business Management

Samuel Issac Ramey: Welding

Christopher Seth Whitt: Outstanding Freshman Engineering Student of the Year

Broden William Caton: Outstanding Sophomore Engineering Student of the Year

Program Leadership & Service

Deborah J. Lester: Medical Coding

Elisabeth Jordan Presley: Engineering

Samuel Issac Ramey: Welding

Lori Ann Smith: Business Management

Timothy Stout: Precision Machining

Joshua Thiel: Advanced Precision Machining

Dean’s Award

Kevin Brooks: Electrical/Electronics & Advanced Precision Machining

Isaac Griffith: Automotive Technology

Elisabeth Presley: Engineering

Joshua Thiel: Advanced Precision Machining

Program: Health Technologies

Most Earned Program Credentials

Chessie Billips: Nursing

Abriana Brown: Nursing

Madison Johnson: Nursing

Abigail Jones: Nursing

Outstanding Achievement

Savannah Austin: Radiography

Jessey Ball: Occupational Therapy Assistant

Miranda Lynn Burress: Practical Nursing

Amber Freeman: Radiography

Alisha Hafemeister: Occupational Therapy Assistant

Tyler Gregory Harmon: Pharmacy Technician

Sommer Honaker: Radiography

Andy Moore: Radiography

Julia Shortt: Occupational Therapy Assistant

Alexandra Lia Sousa: Practical Nursing

Jeremy Stout: Nursing

Camdyn Sykes: Occupational Therapy Assistant

Emily Vaughn: Radiography

Keleigh Musick: Occupational Therapy Assistant

Program Leadership & Service

Reagan Elizabeth McCann: Pharmacy Technician

Dean’s Award

Noah Brown: Occupational Therapy Assistant

Amber Freeman: Radiography

Program: Arts & Sciences

Most Earned Program Credentials

Kylie Fletcher: Administration of Justice

Outstanding Achievement

Timothy J. Boyd: Human Services

Trajon Boyd: Administration of Justice

Xander Bunch: Psychology

Dalton Horn: Psychology

Laura Johnson: Biology

Shirley Ann Szabo: Human Services

Stacy Thompson: Administration of Justice

Program Leadership & Service

Anniston McGlothlin: Administration of Justice

Dean’s Award

Timothy Boyd: Human Services

Program: Workforce & Continuing Education

Most Earned Program Credentials

Colton Keen: Diesel Repair

Darrius Keen: Heavy Equipment & Commercial Driver’s License

Outstanding Achievement

Jeffery Nickels: Commercial Driver’s License

Corey Michael Walsh: Welding

Program Leadership & Service

Thomas Farmer: Welding

Brian Vanover: Welding

Dean’s Award

Kristin Juvelier: Heavy Equipment & Commercial Driver’s License

Athletics: 

Cross Country 

Mitchell Campbell: Runner of the Year NJCAA Region 10 Player of the Year NJCAA Region 10 Division III 

Men’s Basketball 

Brennan Howard: All Region Second Team Men’s Basketball

Valentino Simon: All Region Third Team Men’s Basketball 

Women’s Basketball 

Liyah French: All Region Second Team Women’s Basketball 

Wrestling 

Billy-Jack Cupp: National Qualifier Men’s Wrestling 

Adnan Moaz: NJCAA National Qualifier 

Austin Suess: 197 LB District Champion, NJCAA All American 

Clubs & Organizations 

Club Leadership & Initiative 

Eric Christopher Bandy: Student Government Association 

Noah Brown: OTA/SOTA Club 

Adrianna Hall: OTA/SOTA Club 

Leigh Ann Horn: Nursing Club 

Abigail Jones: Nursing Club

Kelsey Lorraine Messer: Student Government Association

Caden Charles Owens: Student Government Association 

Elisabeth Presley: Robotics Club 

Andrew Jacob Sharpe: Student Government Association 

Morgan Sue Smith: Student Government Association 

Austin Walter Suess: Student Government Association 

Joshua Thiel: Robotics Club 

Vanessa Uwase: Student Government Association 

Raylee Marie Wilson: Student Government Association 

Honors Participation 

Mary Blankenship

Jacquelynn Boulden

Joseph Harris

Kelsey Messer

Gray Queen

Annaleigh Rowe

Erin Torees

Taylor Webb

SGA Student Choice Awards 

Faculty and Staff Awards 

Mandy Barrett: Outstanding Student Service 

Brian Hale: Outstanding Faculty Advisor 

Christopher Hess: Outstanding Student Success Advisor 

Tabitha Smith: Outstanding Instructor