HCC honors Student Academic Excellence

Halifax Community College celebrated student academic success during the first-ever Academic Excellence Awards Ceremony, Apr. 17. During the event, those who were included on the President’s and Dean’s lists for fall 2007 and Who’s Who Among Students in American Junior Colleges were recognized.

HCC alumnus Bernard Zdancewicz was the guest speaker and discussed facing one’s barriers in life. He is currently a 6th grade math and social studies teacher at Enfield Middle School and is pursuing a master’s degree from N.C. Central University. “When faced with any barriers, it’s easy to have a sense of despair… We become resigned to our state and bow down to those walls,” he said. “We must look and see what lies behind those walls... I believe that behind every wall of adversity in our lives there lies our greatest dream and our greatest potential.”

Zdancewicz described moving to the area, after 22 years in retail, for a promising job with a department store. However, shortly after arriving, he was told that he was not what they were looking for and that his services were no longer needed. He had to face unemployment around the same time that the economy was reeling from the 9/11 tragedy.

On the job hunt, he was told that he was either overqualified for jobs or that he needed a degree. Zdancewicz ended up working as a runner in a bingo hall for minimum wage. “I learned how much love and support my family had for me. I learned how to appreciate what I did have. I learned to take advantage of the free time that I had by becoming active in ministry and community service.”

He attended a job fair where he met representatives from HCC and learned about the Teacher Prep program with Elizabeth City State University. “The first glimpse beyond that wall was given to me… I could have easily failed at school and moved back to D.C. and bowed down to the wall of retail management for the rest of my life, but yet, here I am.”

He added, “Your presence tells me that you’ve taken the first step toward looking past your wall and working toward that potential that each of you has behind it.” He said that students should thank those who have helped them reach their goals, get involved with community service, take all courses seriously, and never let the wall of doubt keep them from fulfilling dreams or reaching goals.

Honor students were then recognized. To qualify for the President’s List, a student must be enrolled full-time and earn a 4.0 grade point average. To qualify for the Dean’s List, a student must be enrolled full-time and earn at least a 3.0 grade point average. Who's Who exists as one of the most highly regarded and long-standing honors programs in the nation. For the students – the outstanding campus leaders of the year – national recognition by the Who's Who program marks a pinnacle of scholastic achievement.

President’s List
Katherine Anderson, Scotland Neck; Timothy Archer, Roanoke Rapids; Tracey Bell, Nashville; Jeffrey Boyd, Roanoke Rapids; Lafarrui Broady, Gaston; Jennifer Brown, Rocky Mount; Joni Butts, Roanoke Rapids; Nicole Crider, Hollister; Gary Davis, Roanoke Rapids; Kathryn Esquivel, Roanoke Rapids; Kimberly Harris, Hertford; Amie Hutchings, Roanoke Rapids; Brenda Jenkins, Roanoke Rapids; Stacey Kenyon, Murfreesboro; Thomas Mason, Roanoke Rapids; Laura Pittman, Roanoke Rapids.

Also, Courtney Powell, Roanoke Rapids; Chiqueta Pullen, Enfield; Bruce Robistow, Roanoke Rapids; Rebecca Simmons, Roanoke Rapids; Morgan Skilton, Littleton; Barbara Smith, Roanoke Rapids; Johnnie Stevenson, Roanoke Rapids; William Stroud, Ahoskie; Arcelious Valentine, Woodland; Samantha Vester, Roanoke Rapids; Demeatrice Ward, Garysburg; Michael Welbaum, Roanoke Rapids.

Dean’s List
John Agar, Nashville; Sherry Agee, Gaston; Cailey Auvil, Carrollton, Va.; Christina Aycock, Black Creek; April Barrier, Macon; Adrienne Batten, Battleboro; Lisa Braden, Roanoke Rapids; Ray Broady, Henrico; Brandon Bryant, Roanoke Rapids; Shirley Buffaloe, Roanoke Rapids; Michelle Butler, Knightdale; Cory Byrum, Garysburg; Jeremy Canady, Potecasi; Lauren Carpenter, Roanoke Rapids; Antoinette Cheatham, Weldon; Laura Cottle, Rocky Mount; Stephen Daniels, Roanoke Rapids; Elsie Davenport, Halifax; James DeBro, Roanoke Rapids; Natasha Deloatch, Roanoke Rapids; Carolyn Dunlow, Roanoke Rapids; Sharon Durance, Wendell; Juliet Eason, Garysburg; Kaylen Edwards, Greenville; Lauren Elks, Roanoke Rapids.

Also, Misty Faloretti, Roanoke Rapids; Maurice Farnham, Roanoke Rapids; Shannon Frye, Nashville; Virginia Garner, Roanoke Rapids; Dawn Godfrey, Conway; Brenda Greene, Jackson; Erica Gregory, Hertford; Tammie Gregory, Roanoke Rapids; Michael Grooms, Roanoke Rapids; Angela Hale, Roanoke Rapids; April Hamer, Roanoke Rapids; Jonathan Hammack, Roanoke Rapids; Shantice Harry, Roanoke Rapids; Theodore Ivey, Roanoke Rapids; Ami Johnson, Roanoke Rapids; Carolyn Jones, Roanoke Rapids; Michelle Kemp, Zebulon; Bryan Kidd, Roanoke Rapids; Rebecca Killian, Littleton; Sarah Lafoon, Littleton; Veronica Lowe, Roanoke Rapids; Amber McCoy, Roanoke Rapids; Jessica Moore, Gaston; Dianne Moseley, Vaughan; Denisse Nakasone, Roanoke Rapids; Crystal Norris, Roanoke Rapids.

Also, Virginia Parker, Rich Square; Gail Parks, Roanoke Rapids; Leanne Patrick, Roanoke Rapids; Shannon Patterson, Roanoke Rapids; Marion Payne, Seaboard; Beatrice Pierce, Halifax; Stephanie Pope, Roanoke Rapids; Janet Smith, Roanoke Rapids; Loretta Spear, Creswell; Christopher Stallings, Roanoke Rapids; Jessica Staton, Scotland Neck; Jessica Temple, Roanoke Rapids; Amanda Tucker, Roanoke Rapids; Latonia Vincent, Garysburg; Willie Waller, Roanoke Rapids; Victoria Wester, Whitakers; Tammie Whitaker, Enfield; Christi Williford, Littleton; Karl Wiltsie, Weldon; Ashley Winslow, Winterville; Christopher Wright, Roanoke Rapids.

Who’s Who
Antoinette Cheatham, Weldon; Elsie Davenport, Halifax; James DeBro, Roanoke Rapids; Theodore Ivey, Roanoke Rapids; Bryan Kidd, Roanoke Rapids; Virginia Parker, Rich Square; Beatrice Pierce, Halifax; Courtney Powell, Roanoke Rapids; Barbara Smith, Roanoke Rapids; Arcelious Valentine, Woodland; Demeatrice Ward, Garysburg; Michael Welbaum, Roanoke Rapids; Victoria Wester, Whitakers; Karl Wiltsie, Weldon.