{"id":6873,"date":"2026-05-29T10:07:21","date_gmt":"2026-05-29T16:07:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.jcjc.edu\/jcnews\/?p=6873"},"modified":"2026-05-29T10:07:21","modified_gmt":"2026-05-29T16:07:21","slug":"jones-college-faculty-and-staff-accomplishments-honored-7","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.jcjc.edu\/jcnews\/news\/jones-college-faculty-and-staff-accomplishments-honored-7\/","title":{"rendered":"Â鶹ֱ²¥ faculty and staff accomplishments honored\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

ELLISVILLE \u2013 Fifteen Â鶹ֱ²¥ faculty and staff members were recently honored for their workplace accomplishments over the previous academic year. The Employee Appreciation Awards began in 2004 with funds contributed by retired JCJC President, Dr. Ronald Whitehead, and the college\u2019s Foundation, Inc. Finalists were selected and interviewed by the Faculty and Staff Recognition Program\u2019s Selection Committee. Prior to the employee recognition program, a brunch was provided by the college and the JCJC Foundation Inc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Leadership Award for Administrative Excellence<\/strong> was established nine years ago to honor a mid-level administrator whose commitment to the profession stands out amongst their peers. Vice President of Enrollment Management, Dr. Amanda McLeod, was selected as the recipient of the 2025-2026 Leadership Award for Administrative Excellence. Â鶹ֱ²¥ President, Dr. Jesse Smith praised McLeod\u2019s abilities over the 12 years she has served at Â鶹ֱ²¥. In addition to overseeing recruiting, advising, admissions, financial aid and the Bobcat Brigade ambassadors, she is a wife and mother of two children, and she recently earned her doctorate degree in education, in addition to serving her community.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Â鶹ֱ²¥ Vice President of Enrollment Management, Dr. Amanda McLeod (center), was selected as the recipient of the 2025-2026 Leadership Award for Administrative Excellence, presented by Executive Vice President and CFO, Christy Holifield (left) and Vice President of External Funding, Sabrina Young (right).<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

English instructor, Matthew Craft received the Barbara & Gary Sauls Award for Excellence in Teaching Humanities. The scholarship and awards committee acknowledged how the Humanities Division instructor exemplifies intellectual integrity in the classroom, and has encouraged analytical thinking skills, he loves humanitarian pursuits and fosters a positive rapport with his students. This award was initiated by JCJC alumni, Mr. & Mrs. Gary W. \u201cBuddy\u201d and Barbara Sauls. Their daughter, Tracy, was a 1990 JCJC graduate. Mr. Sauls was a former JCJC Board of Trustees member and Barbara Sauls is currently on the JCJC Foundation\u2019s Advisory Board. Means was awarded a $500 cash prize and an acrylic plaque.<\/p>\n\n\n

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English instructor and recipient of the Barbara & Gary Sauls Award for Excellence in Teaching Humanities is pictured in the center, Matthew Craft with Executive Vice President and CFO, Christy Holifield (left) and Vice President of External Funding, Sabrina Young.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

In the individual employee appreciation honors, 12 individuals from three categories of employees, faculty members, office staff and administrative support, and employees working in maintenance, housekeeping, campus grounds and campus police were each awarded certificates of achievement. Faculty finalists each received a cash prize of $250, and the overall winner received an additional $750 and an acrylic plaque. Each staff employee finalist was awarded a cash prize of $125, and the overall winner received an extra $500 and an acrylic plaque.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Executive Vice President and CFO, Christy Holifield (left) and Vice President of External Funding, Sabrina Young (right) presented the Faculty Member of the Year, Dr. Tasha Reynolds (right 2nd<\/sup> from end) with a check and plaque. The three faculty nominees are pictured left to right, Jasper County Workforce CDL, NCCER Core, Forklift, OSHA and plumbing instructor-Lee Baliett; Electrical\/Electro-Mechanical Technology-Greg Griffith and A.D. Nursing instructor-Kimberly Maddox.\u00a0<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Finalists for the faculty awards<\/u><\/strong> included Jasper County Workforce CDL, NCCER Core, Forklift, OSHA and plumbing instructor-Lee Baliett; Electrical\/Electro-Mechanical Technology-Greg Griffith; A.D. Nursing instructor-Kimberly Maddox and the overall winner, biology instructor and Faculty Member of the Year, Dr. Tasha Reynolds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Executive Vice President and CFO, Christy Holifield (left) and Vice President of External Funding, Sabrina Young (right) presented, Arts, Music and Performance administrative secretary-Paula Harrison; Business\/Student accounts-Karley Parrish and Enrollment Management-Tara Dupree, who were nominated for the Office Staff Member of the Year, with Allyson Knotts (right 2nd<\/sup> from end) with a check and plaque as the overall winner and Office Staff Member of the Year.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Nominated for the Office Staff and Administrative Support Employee of the Year Award were Arts, Music and Performance administrative secretary-Paula Harrison; Business\/Student accounts-Karley Parrish; Enrollment Management-Tara Dupree and selected as the Office Staff and Administrative Support Employee of the Year<\/u><\/strong>, Marketing Project Manager-Allyson Knotts.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Three employees from Â鶹ֱ²¥\u2019s transportation, grounds, maintenance, housekeeping and police departments, (pictured left to right) Campus Police Deputy-Brandon Evans; Groundskeeper-Michael Tran and were nominated for the award with Doug Messemore (2nd<\/sup> from right end) from maintenance capturing the title, Employee of the Year from Executive Vice President and CFO, Christy Holifield (left) and Vice President of External Funding, Sabrina Young (right).\u00a0<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

In the maintenance, housekeeping, campus grounds, transportation and campus police department division<\/strong>, three people were nominated. Campus Police Deputy-Brandon Evans; Groundskeeper-Michael Tran and from maintenance and overall winner, Doug Messemore.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Sodexo cafeteria employee and honorary employee of the college, Desmond Newell, (center) was recognized for his work and received a $500 cash award for his efforts on behalf of the college from Executive Vice President and CFO, Chris ty Holifield (left) and Vice President of External Funding, Sabrina Young (right).<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Sodexo cafeteria employee<\/strong> andan honorary employee of the college, Desmond Newell, was recognized for his work. He received a $500 cash award for his efforts on behalf of the college.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

ELLISVILLE \u2013 Fifteen Â鶹ֱ²¥ faculty and staff members were recently honored for their workplace accomplishments over the previous academic year. The Employee Appreciation Awards began in 2004 with funds contributed by retired JCJC President, Dr. Ronald Whitehead, and the college\u2019s Foundation, Inc. Finalists were selected and interviewed by the Faculty and Staff Recognition Program\u2019s Selection Committee. Prior … <\/p>\n

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