President's Medal Awarded to Elaine Curtis

Columbia State Community College honored employees at the 13th annual Employees' Honors and Awards Convocation on Friday, April 30, 2010. Elaine Curtis, Associate Vice President of Business Services, received the President's Medal - the highest award bestowed upon an employee of Columbia State. The 2009-2010 constituency winners (pictured below) are Candace Warner, Assistant Professor of Sociology, Distinguished Faculty Award; Nancy Ramsey, Director, Institutional Effectiveness and Grants Management, Outstanding Professional Staff Award, and Kathy Gum, Administrative Secretary, Student Services, Outstanding Support Staff Award.

Employees from around the college and community members had the following to say about Curtis:

"What stands out about her is her humanity, her self-effacing sense of humor, her dedication to service to others, and the contagious manner in which her empathy is communicated to others around her."

"She epitomizes the values of an institution that exists for the betterment of students and all people in the community and our service area."

"Ironically, despite the fact that she works in an office that operates with numbers, it is difficult to quantify her contributions to Columbia State because they have been immeasurable."

Mary Susan Kennedy was honored with the Faculty Instructional Technology Award.

During the ceremony, Patricia Bowman (pictured below), former secretary for the Health Sciences division, was honored for 35-years of service to the college.

(Pictured below left to right) Livia Derryberry, Secretary, Health Sciences; Christa Martin, Assistant to the President for Access and Diversity, and Wanda Moore, Lead Worker, Records, were honored for 30-years of service to the college.

Dr. Barry Gidcomb (below right), Professor of History; Dr. James Senefeld (below left), Professor of English, and Jeri Grooms, Coordinator of Purchasing and Financial Analyst (not pictured), were honored for 25-years of service to the college.

Receiving 20-year service awards are (below from left to right): Cheryl McCord-Acklin, Assistant Professor of Psychology; Dr. Jane Campbell, Professor of English and Mass Communications; Assistant Professor of Accounting, and Beverly Mitchell, Associate Professor of English. Mike Harvey (not pictured).

Associate Professor of Mathematics, Tammy Borren (below) received a 15-year service award.

Receiving 10-year service awards are (below front row left to right): Kathy Breeden, Director, Library; Nancy Ramsey, Director of Institutional Effectiveness and Grants Management; Regina Ray, Foundation Accountant for Business Services, and Shirley Harper, Secretary, at the Williamson County Center. Pictured below from left to right, second row are: Mandy Carter-Lowe, Associate Professor of Biology; Joan Cook, Associate Professor of English and Education; Kellie Gwin, Records Clerk, Admissions; Pam James, Learning Center Specialist, Lawrence County Campus, and Debbie Scott, Mail and Inventory Clerk, Facility Services. Recipients of the 10-Year Employee Service Award not pictured are: Bill Alexander, Security Guard, Facility Services; Hoyt Gardner, Assistant Professor of History and Political Science;; William Slaughter, Security Guard, Security Services; Marian Warren, Program Director and Assistant Professor of Early Childhood Education; Glenna Winters, Instructional Technology Specialist, Academic Support Services, and Neita Workman, Custodian, Facility Services.

Receiving five-year service awards (Pictured below from left to right) are: Laura Carroll, Instructor of Commercial Entertainment; Jayne Halter, Information Systems Records Clerk; Rita Keeton, Financial Aid Assistant, and Stewart Marston, Electronic Media Technician, Academic Support Services. Recipients of the Five-Year Employee Service Award not pictured are Kimberly Santee, Instructor of Biology, Anne Scott, Director, Library, and Peggy Williams, Custodian, Facility Services.

Employee Choice Award Winners
ROAD WARRIOR AWARD - David Ogden
SUNSHINE AWARD - Jayne Halter
SHINING STAR AWARD - Justin Booth and Thomas Flagel
SPIRIT AWARD - Aubrey Flagg
VOLUNTEER AWARD - Glenna Winters and Michael Sztapka

Columbia State is a two-year college, serving a nine-county area in southern Middle Tennessee with locations in Columbia, Franklin, Lawrenceburg, Lewisburg and Clifton. As Tennessee's first community college, Columbia State is committed to increasing access and enhancing diversity at all five campuses. Columbia State is a member of the Tennessee Board of Regents, the sixth largest higher education system in the nation. For more information, please visit www.columbiastate.edu.