Wallace State Honors Student Successes

Hanceville, Ala. — Wallace State Community College recently hosted its annual honors and awards night, recognizing the achievements of current students and celebrating their successes.

“We are proud of all of our students and are delighted to have the opportunity to showcase them anytime we can,” said Wallace State President Dr. Vicki Karolewics. “Wallace State’s student body is made up or more than 6,000 students who collectively bring recognition to this college on a daily basis.

“While this event makes us proud, it is bittersweet,” Dr. Karolewics added. “We will be bidding farewell to many of these students, as they graduate and pursue other educational or career goals. We know that they are fully prepared to transition to the workplace or college, as WSCC students who transfer to Alabama’s public four-year institutions consistently outperform students who began there, and they are consistently requested by employers due to their excellent work ethic.”

“This is one of our favorite events as we get to celebrate the successes of our students by showcasing their many accomplishments,” said Kristen Holmes, Vice President for Students. “Our students are so talented and deserving of our many accolades. This evening is truly a special time to highlight them.”

During the event, Diego Castro-Aramburo of Warrior received the President’s Cup Award. Castro-Aramburo, who serves as the college’s mascot Wally, will graduate on May 9 with an associate degree in engineering technology with a 4.0 GPA.

The award is the highest award given at honors night and is specially presented by Dr. Karolewics. It is awarded to a student who exhibits leadership, involvement, an amazing work ethic, and overall achievement of educational success.

“He was an outstanding dual enrollment student at Wallace State and has continued to excel academically as a college student with a place on the President’s List each semester,” said Holmes. “Since joining Wallace State, he has carried on his brother Enrique’s legacy, with outstanding service as Wallace State’s beloved lion mascot Wally. He stole the show in performances with university mascots and the World Games, and he has made Wally a college and community fixture with endless creative ideas about how to use our market to market the college and connect with constituents of all ages.

Four other outstanding President's Cup Award nominees were recognized, including Karley Cain of Bremen, LaPorsha Foster of Danville, Jospeh Serio of Spring Hill, and Jared Smith of Falkville.

Other award honorees include:

• Students maintaining at 4.0 GPA: Nicholas Barton, Olivia Brindley, Diego Castro-Aramburo, Zachary Cato, Hui Deng, Frederik Dondorp, Brynlee Elkins, Kimmie Ferrill, Carol Finley, Connor Garrett, Shelby Hays, Abbie Hood, Anna Jones, Kayley Kahler, Angelina Knetter, Thomas Lane, Andrew Lawrence, Sarah McCullar, Kristin McGee, Shannon McMurtrey, Mia Michel, Lydia Miller, Bethany Noah, Lillian Phillips. Ava Rains, Lizbeth Reyna Delgado, Emma Ritchey, Faith Rusk, Jacob Singer, Jared Smith, Kaylee Smith, Cathryn Sullivan, Terry Teal, Emma Thomas, Juliana Tidwell, Karina Tiguila-Vicente, Keturah Walkingstick, Brooklyn Watson, Eason Williams, Kimberly Wilt
• Many students received transfer scholarships to four-year universities
• Who’s Who Among Wallace State recipients: Raven Adams, Destiny Anders, Abby Anderson, Brady Benefield, Kaitlyn Benson, Marybella Blood, Melissa Boersma, Halle Bone, Cindy Bryan, Karley Cain, Wendi Capps, Anyaly Virginia Cendejas Jiminez, Ana Chacon, Sandra Chacon, Ashley Clark, Matthew  Clark, Cierra Connor, Taylor Epps, LaPorsha  Foster, Nathan Travis Freeman, Melia Gladney, Emma Guthrie, Kyndal Hearn, Ali Hollis, Hunter House, Ashley Johnson, Dericka Jones, Lorrin  Jones, Sydney Jones, Macy Kelley Rickles, Laney King, Katelyn Kinney, Haven Lackey, Margaret "Lin" Lawrence, Tracey Leavins, Ken Long , Brody Lowe, Jonathan Mann, Carine Martin, Kalley Mason, Austin McDaniel, Abigail McGrady, Lydia Miller, Madison Moore, James Moore, Jasmine Moore, Lindsey Murphy, Jenna Newland, Emma Nix, Brian O'Boyle, Hannah O'Laire, Lindan Oliver, Octavia Owen, Chandeon Pannell, Houston Pannell, Michelle Pierce, Lisa Quick, Buffy Rasche, Teresa Razo Contreras, Faith Rusk, Elena Saldana Orona, Diana Sanchez, Jennifer Self, Sydnee Shephard, Savannah Sinyard, Narcie Smith, Tristan Swanson, Abby Sweeney, Maritza Valdez-Sanchez, Taylor Vaughn, Julianna Walker, Jazmine Weaver, Megan Weaver, Alexia Weber, Stephen Whitten, Samantha Wise, Sophia Wright, Madison Wright
• Leadership recipients: Zachariah Beauregard, Campus Ministries President; Damien Bothwell, Student Occupational Therapy Association; TA; Evan Bradford, Concert Band; Matthew Burgett, Brass Ensemble; Karley Cain, Phi Theta Kappa; Conner Carter, WSCC Singers; Elijah Chaney, Men's Tennis; Noelle D'Angelillo, Women's Tennis; Emily Delgado Duarte, English Honor Society, Math Honor Society, Valor, Student Support Services; Nylaa Fuller, Women's Basketball; Melia Gladney, Jazz Band; Mackenzie Groves, Dental Hygiene Club; Lily Hasting, WSCC Rotaract Club President, SGA; Will Hawkins, Ambassadors; Chaden Hill, The National Society of Leadership and Success; Chloe Jackson, Volleyball; Authur Johnson, Men's Basketball; Luke Kennedy, Spirit of Wallace State; Zachary Lindeman, Men's Golf; Matthew May, Creative Writing Club; Anika Oden, Wallace State Paralegal Club; Jace Olvey, Mane Topic; Victoria Ozio, Cheer; Savannah Patterson, Student Occupational Therapy Association ; Colten Payton, Baseball; Madalyn Pharris, KBP Kappa Beta Delta - Business Honorary Club; Brandy Phillips, Softball; Marli Kate Powell, Miss Wallace State; Kylie Powell, Women's Cross Country; Elijah Putman, Sax Quartet; Laney Riggs, Books and Banter; Elizabeth Roberts, WSCC Concert Choir; David Robles, Men's Cross Country; Kevin Santana, Student Physical Therapy Organization; Emily Sharp, WSCC Theatre; Cory Shephard, Intramural Sports – Men; Russell Stephens, Alumni Association Lion Leader; Cameron Thornell, Percussion Ensemble; Lauren Weber, Intramural Sports – Women; Angel Cartagena, Work Study of the Year; Kyra Smith; Outstanding Service Award for Work Study Students
• Program award recipients:
  • Academic: Rebecca Avalos, Criminal Justice; Nathan Travis Freeman, Paralegal; Haven Lackey, Business Education; Jillian Rush, History; Jacquelyn "Harper" Simmons, English; Jenna Smith, Psychology; Alexis Speakman, Forensic Psychology; Tristan Swanson, Law Enforcement; Stephen Whitten, Computer Science
  • Applied Technology: Michelle Alldredge, Automotive Service; Dakota Black, Culinary Arts; Marian Braswell, Salon and Spa Management; Joshua Evan Hancock, Engineering Technology; Will Hawkins, Machine Tool Technology; Chaden Hill, Electronics Technology; Taylor Ivins, Flight Technology; Easton Peed, Construction Management; Joseph Serio, Welding; Jake Walker, Culinary Arts Ethan Williams, Diesel Technology
  • Health Science: Brady Benefield, Nursing; Cindy Bryan, Occupational Therapy Assistant; Melia Gladney, Dental Assisting; Sydney Jones, Medical Laboratory Technician; Mary Melissa Lawler, Polysomnographic Technology; Nixshia Maldanado, Diagnostic Imaging; Lindan Oliver, Physical Therapist Assistant; Alejandra Saucedo-Corpus; Health Information Technology; David Timms, Respiratory Therapy
  • Career and Workforce Development and Adult Education: Mary-Tarisa Jimenez, Outstanding Adult Education GED Student; Devyon Clark, Outstanding Adult Education Integrated Education and Training Student; Alexis Franklin, Early Head Start Teacher with Community Action Partnership of Alabama, Child Development Apprentice and Outstanding Workbased Learning Student
• SkillsUSA gold medal winners: Josh Lewis, Marshal Doherty, Jared Smith, Rebecca Avalos, Isaiah Faulkner, Sophia Wright, Jake Walker, Mary Snapp, Patrick Whittaker, Ethan Williams, Chaden Hill, Leslie Rushing, Mindy Ditzler, Jacob Massey, Isaac Daniel, Fernando Blancas, Christian Gray David Terry, Kimberly Wilt, Jasmine McDonald, Avielle Shadrick, Gage Stephens, Emily Duarte, Miranda Knight, Jennifer Jester,
• All-USA/All-Alabama Academic Team Lizbeth Reyna-Delgado and Kimberly Wilt
• Jack Kent Cooke Transfer Scholarship semifinalist Vianney Verdin Maldonado

Registration for the summer and fall semesters is currently underway. Summer classes begin May 27 and fall classes begin Aug. 19. For more information, visit www.wallacestate.edu, call Lion Central at 256.352.8236 or come by the Hanceville or Oneonta campus centers. Current and incoming students may schedule an advising session with the Center for Student Success at www.wallacestate.edu/advising.

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About Wallace State

Wallace State Community College (Ala.), a member of the Alabama Community College System, is a comprehensive community college in north central Alabama offering more than 200 options in academic, health and technical programs of study leading to an associate degree, certificate or transfer, as well as workforce-credit training and adult education. An Achieving the Dream Leader College, nationally recognized by the Aspen Institute as a Rising Star for the 2025 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence, ranked by Southern Business and Development among the Top 3 institutions in the South for workforce development, named a Center of Excellence by the National League for Nursing and the National Security Administration, rated the Top Online Community College in Alabama, a Military Friendly Institution and an All-Steinway School, Wallace State is an outstanding place for students to pursue their education and career goals. Classes are offered online and on campus, day, evening and on weekends, with numerous start dates each year. Visit Wallace State’s beautiful main campus located on 300-acres in Hanceville, Ala., our satellite location in downtown Oneonta, Ala., find us online at www.wallacestate.edu, or call 256.352.8000.

 

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