Wayne Community College held its 15th annual Student Recognition Ceremony to honor its top students of the 2022-2023 academic year. During the event, 95 students were recognized.
Outstanding Student Curriculum Awards
Each year, WCC faculty members select one student from their program whose academic accomplishments best represent that program. Those students receive Outstanding Student Curriculum Awards.
Following are the students honored with Outstanding Student Curriculum Awards and the program recognizing them.
Allied Health and Public Services Division
Wendy Loa-Fonseca, Associate Degree Nursing
Savannah Parker, Dental Assisting
Lauren Edge, Dental Hygiene
Rosemarie Morgan-Parks, Early Childhood
Seth Kowalski, Human Services
Christy Hutcherson, Medical Assisting
Kia Xiong, Medical Laboratory
Shonisha Mayhue, Practical Nursing
Applied Technologies Division
Yeni Levi Barrios Gomez, Agribusiness
Percy Marshall, Air Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration
Kelly Setzer, Applied Animal Science
Adam Corey, Automotive Systems – General Motors Automotive Service Educational Program
Isabella Herb, Automotive Systems – Automotive Technical Education Program
Derrick Dabney, Aviation Systems
Randall Baldwin, Jr., Business Administration/Operations Management
Catherine Gilmore, Collision Repair and Refinishing
Kaitlyn Brubaker, Computer-Integrated Machining
Michael Farmer, Forest Management
Phillip Parry, Jr., Industrial Systems
Philip Rhodes, Mechanical Engineering
Paul Jordonne, Mechatronics
Timothy Jude Norris, Sustainable Agriculture
Tarina Ciotti, Swine Management
Julia Perry, Turfgrass Management
Christopher Acevedo, Welding
Arts and Sciences Division
Sophia Wallace, Associate in Arts
Dena Hill, Associate in Arts in Teacher Preparation
Glendalyn Louise Bongala, Associate in Engineering
Oscar Lugo, Associate in Science
Sarah Brogneaux, Associate in Science in Teacher Preparation
Business and Computer Technologies Division
Rebecca Young, Accounting and Finance
Jami Parker, AI and Cloud Technologies
Jacquelyn Carmichael, Artificial Intelligence Engineer
Amanda Brand, Business Administration;
Toni Ramirez-Miguel, Cybersecurity;
Hayley Rabon, Entertainment Technologies
Justin DeVaughn, Game Art and Animation
Osvaldo Ochoa-Lara, Game and Automation Programming
Daniel O. Moore, IT Business Support
Skylar Maki, Medical Office Administration;
Derek Sparrow, Risk Management and Insurance
Caden Quimby, Software Development
Public Safety Division
Stephanie Goodney, Criminal Justice
Adrienne Armwood, Criminal Justice/Forensic Science
Crystal Hardin, Emergency Management.
Academic Excellence Award
The Academic Excellence Award recognizes a student not only based on academic achievement, but also community service and leadership activities.
Academic Excellence Award Finalists
Mason Bailey
Ashelie Jones
Zoie Outlaw
Academic Excellence Award Winner
Derrick Dabney
Honors Program
The Honors Program of Wayne Community College focuses on academics, leadership, and service as integral components of a well-rounded education. Students must have a 3.5 GPA to be admitted to the program and must maintain a 3.2 GPA to continue the course of study.
Following are the students in WCC’s Honors Program for 2023.
Gamil Algharazi
Leavis Britt
Lydia Ruth Burroughs
Chantel Chestnutt
Grace Evans
Katie Annalise Fitzmorris
Jennifer Huerta-Ponce
Isabel Josephine Kitchin
Sara Elizabeth Rivenbark
Tyler Ruesch
Sophia Smith
Cyrus Stewart
Phi Theta Kappa Awards
Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) is an internationally-recognized honor society serving students in over 1275 community colleges around the world. Phi Theta Kappa’s mission is to recognize and encourage academic achievement of two-year college students and to provide opportunities for individual growth and development through participation in honors, leadership, service, and fellowship activities.
The Walgreens Pharmacy Technician Certification Scholarship recognizes students who are enrolled in Allied Health or Pharmacy Technician programs and intend to take the Pharmacy Technician Certification exam. Only 18 students are eligible to become a Phi Theta Kappa Walgreens Pharmacy Technician Scholar each spring.
PTK Walgreens Pharmacy Technician Certification Scholarship Recipient
Maribel Gonzalez
The Phi Theta Kappa Golden Opportunity Scholarship recognizes the scholastic achievements of eligible PTK members and helps offset the cost of membership. As a Phi Theta Kappa Golden Opportunity Scholar, the following students received a scholarship waiver to cover the international and regional fees of membership into the organization.
PTK Golden Opportunity Scholarship Recipients
Patrick Bail
Ashley Crawford
Mayra Herran
Haley Ortiz Salas
The Wayne Community College Upsilon Chi Golden Opportunity Scholarship recognizes the scholastic achievements of eligible Upsilon Chi PTK members and helps offset the cost of membership. As an Upsilon Chi Golden Opportunity Scholar, the following students received a scholarship waiver to cover the international and regional fees of membership into the organization.
Wayne Community College Upsilon Chi Golden Opportunity Scholarship Recipients
Glendalyn Louise Bongala
Sophia Smith
Scholars of Global Distinction
The Scholars of Global Distinction program at Wayne Community College is a partnership with UNC World View. Students complete at least 15 credit hours of globally intensive courses, participate in eight international activities and dialogues, gain 30 hours of global experience in a study abroad or domestic intercultural experience, and complete a capstone presentation related to their global learning experience.
Following are students that have earned their Scholars of Global Distinction Certificate.
Jo Bacia
Grace Evans
Mayra Herran
Caleb Mitchell
Sriya Patel
Following are students that will earn their Scholars of Global Distinction Certificate in the Spring and Summer ’23 semesters.
Gamil Algharazi
Mei Ingle
Ruben Quiroz
Sophia Smith
Estrella Sanchez
Leshelle Harris
Samantha Nash
Work-Based Learning Student of the Year Award
The Work-Based Learning Student of the Year Award was created to recognize students who have demonstrated extra effort and achievement in their Work-Based Learning experience. In addition to a superior work ethic and a strong command of employability skills, this year’s recipient demonstrated innovation and a passion for their field of study.
Work-Based Learning Student of the Year Award Recipient
Belinda Epps
Student Government Association
The 2022-2023 Student Government Association Officers were recognized for their leadership and service to the college and student body.
President: Sarah Brogneaux
Vice President: Maliq Daniels
Secretary: Gamil Algharazi
Student Club and Organization Awards
Several clubs and organizations on campus were recognized for their achievements.
Wayne Community College Ambassadors are an honorary group of students who were nominated by faculty and staff to represent the college at special events on campus and within the community for one academic year. These students maintained a 3.0 GPA or higher and full time status for the whole year.
Ambassador Award Recipients
Chantel Chestnut
Madelyn Luethje
Alyssa Manley
Asia Pearsall
Frederick Tarpley
Nicole Trejo-Ramirez
Each spring, campus clubs submit a Presidential Report to the Student Government Association to become eligible for the Presidential Club Award. In the report are campus fundraisers, on and off campus service learning projects along with community and campus events that each club participated in throughout the year.
Reports are reviewed by the Student Government Association officers and winners were chosen based on their service to the College as well as the community.
Student Government Association Presidential Club Award Recipients
1st Place: Student Multicultural Club
2nd Place: Phi Theta Kappa
3rd Place: WCC Associate Degree Nursing Club, Class of 2023
The Student Government Association Advisor Award is given to a student leader that goes above and beyond the call of duty, leads by example, and never expects to be recognized or rewarded.
Student Government Association Advisor Award Recipient
Sarah Brogneaux
Dallas Herring Achievement Award
The Dallas Herring Achievement Award recognizes a student who embodies the philosophy of Dr. Herring, one of the fathers of the community college system. The winner of the college’s award became WCC’s nominee for the award at the state level.
Dallas Herring Achievement Award Finalist
Alexys Higgins
Dallas Herring Achievement Award Winner
Gamil Algharazi
Renaissance Awards
Renaissance is Wayne Community College’s annual creative arts magazine for campus writers and artists. The publication features students’ creative work, including poetry, fiction, non-fiction essays, and visual art in various media.
Each year, Renaissance recognizes student artists and writers who contributed the images selected for the publication covers; one artist whose work merited special recognition; and the writers who submitted the best poetry and prose.
Renaissance Cover Award Recipient
Katie Wagner
Renaissance Art Award Recipient
Alezen Paula Gevero Devicais
Renaissance Poetry Award Recipient
Emma Padgett
Renaissance Prose Award Recipient
Janelle Acevedo-Trejo
The Beatrice K. Balkcum Renaissance Literary Award was established to honor the life of Beatrice K. Balkcum, her contribution to the Goldsboro community, and her love for the written word. Balkcum taught English at Goldsboro High School for fifteen years before teaching at Wayne Community College for an additional twenty years. After retirement, Balkcum continued to serve the college on the board of trustees for several years.
This award gifts $1,000 to a college transfer student and emerging writer whose work is selected by the Renaissance editors as the most outstanding piece of writing in the magazine.
Beatrice K. Balkcum Renaissance Literary Award Recipient
Emma Padgett
Who’s Who Among Students at Wayne Community College
Who’s Who is a local chapter which honors WCC’s leading students for their academic excellence and the contributions they make to the college and community. Only one percent of the students who attend WCC are selected for this honor annually.
Gamil Algharazi
Yasmeen Alkanshli
Nathanael Benson
Glendalyn Louise Bongala
Sarah Brogneaux
Elizabeth Brown
Chantel Chestnutt
Maliq Daniels
Samantha Harlow
Gracie Hinnant
Dwayne Jones
Seth Kowalski
Madelyn Luethje
Skylar Maki
Alyssa Manley
Haley Martin
Kelly Nachbaur
Sydney Norris
Asia Pearsall
Roberto Carlos Ruiz-Lopez
Sophia Smith
Frederick Tarpley
Haley Toler
Nicole Trejo-Ramirez
Jodie Vance
Wayne Community College is a public, learning-centered institution with an open-door admission policy located in Goldsboro, N.C. As it works to develop a highly skilled and competitive workforce, the college serves around 11,000 individuals annually as well as businesses, industry, and community organizations with high quality, affordable, accessible learning opportunities, including more than 240 college credit programs. WCC’s mission is to meet the educational, training, and cultural needs of the communities it serves.