August 8, 2012
Kay Hester (left), math instructor, received the T. Elbert Clemmons Outstanding Faculty Award, and Meg Sellers (right), administrative assistant with the SCC Foundation, received the Outstanding Staff Member of the Year Award.
Two Southeastern Community College employees were recognized for their outstanding contributions to the College during the 48th commencement exercises. Kay Hester, math instructor, received the T. Elbert Clemmons Outstanding Faculty Award, and Meg Sellers, administrative assistant with the SCC Foundation, received the Outstanding Staff Member of the Year Award.
SCC President Kathy Matlock presented an engraved award and a check for $750 to each recipient. Hester and Sellers were nominated by the College’s students, faculty and staff.
“Both employees were recognized for their proven dedication to our students and institution. They directly impact the lives of countless students through their work and help to make Southeastern a continued success,” said Matlock.
Faculty Award
The T. Elbert Clemmons Outstanding Faculty Award is presented to an instructor who demonstrates that he or she is trusted by students so that students are willing to experiment with techniques that are taught, presents course material and lectures that reflect extensive time and energy in preparation, cares about students and their future, represents SCC positively, allows students to take responsibility for themselves, encourages and sets the stage for students to create their own solutions, listens actively, and radiates enthusiasm.
Hester has worked at Southeastern since 2005 following 20 years of employment with Bladen County Schools. She has served her department in many capacities, teaching courses ranging from developmental math to college algebra to statistics.
“Kay works tirelessly to ensure that her math classes help students achieve their desired goals, and she collaborates with other faculty members to improve success rates across the College,” said Matlock.
The instructor was also lauded for providing creativity and leadership skills in helping guide the College’s multi-year Quality Enhancement Plan, Do the Math, which aims to improve student success in developmental math courses.
Hester lives in Bladenboro with her husband, Steve. They have two adult children, Sara and Jared.
Staff Award
Recipients of the Outstanding Staff Award care about students and their futures, represent SCC positively, allow students to take responsibility for themselves, encourage and set the stage for students to create their own solutions, listen actively, and radiate enthusiasm.
In addition to being a “very skilled office manager” Matlock said that Sellers is “professional and effective with donors and potential donors and is continually brainstorming ways in which to raise and save money for the Foundation.”
A graduate of SCC’s Business Administration Program, Sellers has assumed responsibility on committees including the Staff Association, Scholarship Committee, Performing Arts Committee, New Student Orientation and the Ram’s Club.
Sellers was also praised for the impact that she has on individual students.
“In her work with the SCC Ambassadors, she has the students on the speed dial of her phone and knows their class schedules. She is very willing to go the extra mile in order to assist anyone in need,” Matlock said.
Sellers lives near Whiteville with her husband, William, and three grandchildren, Allen, J.J., and Coltin.