FLORENCE – Northwest-Shoals Community College (NW-SCC) graduates will hear from the President of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, Dr. Belle Wheelan, during the combined commencement ceremonies at Florence-Lauderdale Coliseum; Florence, for the Phil Campbell and Shoals campuses.
Ceremonies will be held Thursday, May 15, 2014, in the following order:
Nurse Pinning Ceremony (ADN) 4:00 p.m. Woodmont Baptist Church; Florence, Ala.
NW-SCC Commencement 7:00 p.m. Florence-Lauderdale Coliseum; Florence, Ala.
Dr. Belle Wheelan currently serves as President of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges and is the first
Dr. Belle Wheelan, President of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
African American and the first woman to serve in this capacity. Her career spans 40 years and includes the roles of faculty member, chief student services officer, campus provost, college president and Secretary of Education. In several of those roles she was the first African American and/or woman to serve in those capacities.
Dr. Wheelan received her Bachelor’s degree from Trinity University in Texas (1972) with a double major in Psychology and Sociology; her Master’s from Louisiana State University (1974) in Developmental Educational Psychology; and her Doctorate from the University of Texas at Austin (1984) in Educational Administration with a special concentration in community college leadership.
She has received numerous awards and recognition including four honorary degrees; the Distinguished Graduate Award from Trinity University (2002), and from the College of Education at the University of Texas at Austin (1992); Washingtonian Magazine’s 100 Most Powerful Women in Washington, DC (2001); the AAUW Woman of Distinction Award (2002); the Suanne Davis Roueche National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development’s Distinguished Lecturer Award (2007); the John E. Roueche National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development’s International Leadership Award (2010); and the AACC Leadership Award (2011).
According to the NW-SCC Vice President’s Office, approximately 700 students have completed requirements for graduation during the 2013-2014 academic year. Approximately 175 students plan to participate in graduation ceremonies Thursday.
MEDIA RELEASE/ Trent Randolph NW-SCC Public Information Officer
