Alumni, Students Honored at TCC Awards Banquet

PICTURED ARE, FROM LEFT: Best of TCC keynote speaker Jay Clemens, Best of TCC honoree and State Rep. Chris Benge, Southern Nazarene University Dean of Graduate and Adult Studies Dr. Davis Berryman and TCC President and CEO Dr. Tom McKeon.
Many alumni and several students were honored at the Tulsa Community College 2005 Best of TCC Awards banquet Sept. 1 at Tulsa Marriott Southern Hills.
Nineteen alumni received 2005 Best of TCC Awards, and four TCC students received 2005 Alumni and Friends Scholarships.
The Best of TCC honorees represent companies and organizations that value higher education and professionalism shown by TCC alumni and graduates. The program emphasizes four links: quality instruction, motivated students, employment opportunity and success in local business and industry and the economic vibrance of the Tulsa area.
The TCC Alumni and Friends Association presents the program annually. Southern Nazarene University Tulsa was reception sponsor.
This year’s honorees were State Rep. Chris Benge, Joel Blackwood, Dr. Roger N. Blais, Ph.D, Louis Bordwine, Kelly Chebahtah, Charles Dauer, Mickey Dodson, Shirley Elliott, Stephanie Griffith, Gary Lorenz, Jeri Mann, Shirley McDaniel, Lori McGinnis, Ed.D., Cindy McMahon, Corrine O’Day, Janice Pollard, Carol B. Rowland, Jennifer Smith and Kimberly Snell.
Scholarship recipients were Hannah Berrett, Michelle Ford, Merrie Knox and Teresa Kuehn.
The Best of TCC event began with entertainment provided by Signature Quartet. TCC President and CEO Dr. Thomas K. McKeon welcomed everyone.
Following his welcome and remarks, keynote speaker Jay Clemens, president and CEO of the Tulsa Metro Chamber, addressed the audience. Clemens has held his position since July 1998, but he has been a chamber executive for 30 years. He has a bachelor of arts in business management from Eastern Washington University and a master of arts from Pacific Lutheran University. He is also a graduate of the Chamber of Commerce of the United States Institute for Organization Management and has been awarded the professional designation of certified chamber executive.
Later, scholarships were presented and Best of TCC honorees were given their awards.
For the eighth consecutive year, TCC is ranked in the top three percent of more than 1,150 community colleges nationally in the number of associate degrees awarded in all disciplines. TCC’s ranking, 18th, is its highest such ranking ever.
For the third consecutive year TCC ranks second nationally in granting associate degrees to Native American students, the highest rank among all Oklahoma two-year colleges. Also, TCC is the only Oklahoma community college listed among the top 100 two-year colleges nationally in granting associate degrees to African-Americans.
The largest two-year college in Oklahoma, TCC serves approximately 27,000 students per year in credit classes and more than 5,000 students in corporate and industry training, and continuing education classes. TCC information is available at www.tulsacc.edu.
Updated 09-28-2005
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