"Evening of Excellence" Celebrates Academic Success

Dr. Tony Miksa, president of Walters State, presents the President's Outstanding Student award to Gerardo Castillo-Ruiz.

Academic Excellence Recognized

     Walters State Community College celebrated academic achievement at its annual “Evening of Excellence” Awards Banquet.
     Gerardo Castillo-Ruiz, a pre-engineering major from Greeneville, received the President’s Outstanding Student Award, the highest award given to a student. Castillo-Ruiz has excelled in academics, leadership and service while a student at Walters State. He serves as the current Student Government Association president and has been named a Coca Cola PTK Leader of Promise and was named to the All-USA Academic Team.
     Ainsley Martin of Jefferson County was named the Morristown Campus Outstanding Student. Tyler Oller of Claiborne County was recognized as the Outstanding Claiborne County Campus Student. Nicole Gonzalez-Martinez of Greene County was named Niswonger Campus Outstanding Student.. Sofi Herber and Alexander Jucius, shared Sevier County Outstanding Student Honors. Jimmy Thomas of Hamblen County was named the Newport Center Outstanding Student.

      The following students, listed by county of residence, received the academic awards noted during the ceremony. Middle College represents students who complete an associate’s degree while in high school. 
CLAIBORNE COUNTY: Calleigh Grace Keck, Outstanding Middle College student; Daniel English, outstanding student athlete in esports; Emma Myatt, outstanding student athlete in softball; Pierce Madelyn Taylor, Outstanding Middle College student: and Tobias Alan Simpson, Outstanding Middle College student.
COCKE COUNTY: Jessie J. Pittman, medical insurance specialist; Landon D. Clevenger, criminal justice; Marcelo Vargas, chemistry; Randy Mathis, engineering technology; and Virginia Roberts, hospitality management and Faculty Senate Scholarship recipient.
GILES COUNTY: Jaceion Coffey, outstanding student athlete in men’s basketball
GRAINGER COUNTY: Caroline "Skelly" Kent, philosophy; Dominick Zain Hylton, Outstanding Middle College student; and Megan Elise Stratton, Outstanding Middle College student.
GREENE COUNTY: Alex Hartman, fire science; Aydan Dyer, Faculty Senate Scholarship recipient; Bennett Austin McLain, Outstanding Middle College student; Catherine Mazie Oakes, Outstanding Middle College student; David Sparks, nursing (Niswonger Campus); Francois Odenthal-Cruz, agriculture; Gerardo Castillo-Ruiz, Pre-engineering; Nicole Gonzalez-Martinez, Faculty Senate Scholarship recipient; Eden Aiken, outstanding student athlete for volleyball; Naomi Z. Merrill, outstanding student athlete for women’s cross country.
HAMBLEN COUNTY: Emily Adkisson, English; Kathryn Marshall, outstanding student among A.S. general studies students; Michelle McDowall, nursing (Morristown Campus): Pepper Porter, “Gallery” editor and studio arts award; Samantha Paige Ritter, health information management; Karina Laureano Ruiz, biology.
HAWKINS COUNTY: Devan Carpenter, physical therapist assistant; Ethan Coleman, culinary arts; Kaydence Miller, creative writing; Gary Norman Dubuque, paramedic; Dalton Woods, digital media; Fallon Griffith, chemistry; Karyn Makwerere, surgical technology; Lauren Barton, debate; Liberty Richards, theatre; Linzie M. Elkins, psychology, sociology and social work; Jennie Lynne Anderson, education; Patsy June Bolden, medical coding; Raegan Varney, occupational therapy assistant;  Sam Runyan, outstanding student athlete for men’s cross country; Spencer Olsen, mathematics; Suzana Roderick, production horticulture.
KNOX COUNTY: Chelsey Lane, nursing career mobility.
SEVIER COUNTY: Aidan Scott Patenaude, Outstanding Middle College Student; Aiden Gregory Watson, Outstanding Middle College Student; Haley Wilson, digital media; Jasmine Palmer, digital media; Julian Michael Woodruff, Outstanding Middle College student; Kerry Kutzko, accounting; Mattie Hamilton, music; Tanner Cox, music; Tatyana Alligood, Spanish;
SHELBY COUNTY: Morgan Williams, outstanding student athlete for women’s basketball.
WASHINGTON COUNTY: Rachel Elizabeth Hatcher, respiratory care.

Out-of-State Recipients
ALABAMA: William Blake Holman, history, Mobile County.
GEORGIA: Dakota Crumbley, outstanding student athlete in baseball, Butts County.