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Previous Alumni of the Year
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The 2006-2007 Alumnus of the Year was announced recently during Enterprise-Ozark
Community College’s Charter Night for EOCC Alumni and Friends organization. Mr. Walton Chancey was presented the award by Dr. David Chalker (pictured left), EOCC Dean of Student Affairs. Chancey transferred from EOCC to Auburn University where he earned a bachelor’s degree in Architecture with Honors. While a student, he designed La Vela Beach Club in Panama City. For the past 20 years, he has been the Senior Managing Partner and Director of Marketing for Chancey Design Partnership. He is also President of Gulf Coastal Develpment, Inc. And Managing Partner of Chancey Interior Design. Both CDP and CID have won many awards for outstanding design. Upon receiving the Alumnus of the Year award, Chancey gave much credit for his success to the instructors at EOCC. |
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| 2006 - Enterprise-Ozark Community College’s president, Dr. Stafford L. Thompson, presented the award of Alumna of the Year to Amelia Sessions Rhoades of Kinston. Mrs. Rhoades was a member of the first graduating class of ESJC in 1967. She has served as a teacher, coach, and administrator in the Coffee County and Elba school systems since 1969. She has coached softball, basketball, and volleyball. Her 1999 Kinston High School girls’ volleyball team won 1A State Coach of the Year. Her teams had 828 volleyball wins. She was inducted into the Alabama High School Sports Hall of Fame in 2005. |
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2005 - EOCC president, Dr. Stafford L. Thompson, presented the award to Dr. Lyn Lewis Diefenderfer of Enterprise. Dr. Diefenderfer practices internal medicine in Enterprise. She attended the College from 1990-1992 then transferred to Auburn, then on to medical school. "I am very honored! There have been some great people who went to school here," says Dr. Diefenderfer. "I had no trouble transferring," says Dr. Diefenderfer, reminiscing about her years at EOCC. "I did very well and graduated summa cum laude from Auburn. My instructors at EOCC were excellent and prepared me very well." |
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| 2004 - Rick McLin, owner of McLin's Restaurant in Daleville, was recently selected as Enterprise-Ozark Community College's Alumnus of the Year. Rick's family established the restaurant in 1968. After attending EOCC, he took over the restaurant as his parents retired. "The Lord has blessed us; I have been blessed with a great family," says Rick. "I have some great memories [of EOCC], and the College prepared me for life. The College's existence here enabled us to start our family and go into the family business." Pictured are McLin and EOCC president Dr. Stafford Thompson. |
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2003 - Superintendent of Enterprise City Schools, Dr. Jim Reese (right), was recently selected as Enterprise State Junior College's Alumnus of the Year. Presenting the award to Dr. Reese is Dr. Stafford Thompson, ESJC President. Dr. Reese, a member of the College's first class, attended ESJC 1965-1967. He transferred to Troy State University and obtained a bachelor of science degree in social science. He earned a master of arts degree in history and doctorate of education from Auburn University. He has served in various capacities in the Enterprise School System and was named Superintendent in 2001. "Both my daughter and son attended ESJC," says Dr. Reese. "I think ESJC serves the students well and continues to provide a quality education for students who want to stay in the area and serves a diverse population. It is a vital part of this community and has been for 38 years." |
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| 2002 - Dr. Stafford Thompson, president of Enterprise State Junior College, presented the Alumnus of the Year Award to Dr. Praful Patel. A graduate of Geneva High School, Dr. Patel attended ESJC in 1989-1991. He finished his B.S. in biology at The University of Alabama at Birmingham. He completed medical school at the University of South Alabama in Mobile, attending there from 1994-1997. He completed his residency at USA in obstetrics and gynecology in 2001. He is now in partnership at the Women's Medical Center in Dothan. His wife Jaishree Patel is a pharmacist at Flowers Hospital in Dothan. Dr. Patel received a scholarship to attend ESJC, and he says he also chose the College because it was close to home. He wanted to be a doctor because "I thought it would be challenging and a good way to help people. My grandparents always wished I would be one too." While a student at ESJC, Dr. Patel was a member of the Tau Mu Chapter of Phi Theta Kappa, the national honor society for two-year colleges. He remembers the organization participating in a lot of charity work, from which he learned much. "This really taught me to give back to the community," says Dr. Patel. "Whatever you do in life, you always want to give back to the community." Of his stint at ESJC, Dr. Patel says, "I made great friends that have lasted a long time." |
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2001 - Enterprise State Junior College's President, Dr. Stafford L. Thompson (left), announced that Montgomery Mayor Bobby Bright (right) is this year's Alumnus of the Year recipient. Dr. Thompson made the announcement during the interval between games at Homecoming festivities. A 1970 graduate of Carroll High School, Mayor Bright attended ESJC January 1971 through June 1972. The Midland City native and 13th child out of 14, Bright says of three factors deciding his attending the College, the first one was affordability. This was followed by the second factor of academic reputation and the third factor of convenient location.
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"At the time I attended ESJC, I knew I wanted to be a lawyer," says Mayor Bright, "and I knew I would be prepared more in that line academically. One of the reasons I attended ESJC was the academic reputation, and it STILL has that reputation. It was at the higher echelon of two-year colleges. When I transferred to Auburn, I had absolutely no problem. Nothing academically was too tough because I had been prepared at the high school level and at ESJC."
Mayor Bright was elected to the mayoral position November 2, 1999. He holds a B.S. degree in political science from Auburn University, a master's degree in criminal justice from Troy State University, and a law degree from Jones Law School. He is married to Lynn Bright, a District Judge. They have three children: son Neal and daughters Lisa and Katie.
While a student at ESJC he was president of the Interclub and named "Mr. Boll Weevil" in 1972. He now serves as a decon of the First Baptist Churchery, is an active member of the Board of Directors of the Boys' and Girls' Clubs of Montgomery, and is a long-time member of the Kiwanis Club of Montgomery. He also serves on numerous advisory boards.
In presenting the award earlier to Mayor Bright in his Montgomery office, Dr. Thompson told him that the faculty and staff at ESJC were very honored to name him as the 2001 ESJC Alumnus of the Year.
"It is a tremendous honor," replied Mayor Bright. "I never dreamed when I was walking the campus of ESJC that I would one day be the Alumnus of the Year. To get this, because there are so many good, prosperous alumni, I am very honored." |
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| 2000 - Enterprise State Junior College and ESJC President, Dr. Stafford Thompson, recently recognized Dr. Kevin Hornsby as the 1999-2000 Alumnus of the Year. Hornsby and his family returned to Slocomb, Alabama, several years ago and bought his family's homestead where with his children the fourth generation will be raised there. He also practices medicine in his family practice clinic in Slocomb. He received his medical degree from The University of Alabama at Birmingham. |
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1999 - Dr. Velvet Jeter Maddox - Optometrist, Enterprise Vision Care, Enterprise, Alabama
1997 - Mr. William Burns - Superintendent of Schools, Geneva County, Alabama
1996 - Dr. Rick Harrelson - Physician, Enterprise Medical Clinic, Enterprise, Alabama
1994 - Mr. Randy J. Halcomb - Entrepreneur; College Instructor, ESJC, Enterprise, Alabama
1993 - Ms. Jennifer Campbell - Counselor, ESJC, Enterprise, Alabama
1992 - Dr. Bruce Donaldson - Veterianarian, Partner: Animal Health Center, Enterprise, Alabama
1991 - Ms. Linda McKenzie Wilson - Field Representative, Alabama Education Association
1990 - Sheriff Bryant Mixon - Dale County Sheriff, Ozark, Alabama
1989 - Mr. William H. Carr - Certified Public Accountant, Partner: Carr, Riggs & Engram, Enterprise, Alabama
1988 - Ms. Jennifer Nolin - Missionary, Hong Kong
1987 - Mr. Frank Clark - Retired Educator
1986 - Dr. Linda Wilson Young - President, Wallace Community College, Dothan, Alabama
1985 - Dr. David Chalker - Dean of Student Affairs, ESJC, Enterprise, Alabama
1984 - Ms. Deborah M. Lane
1983 - Mr. Pat Howard - Retired Educator
1982 - Ms. Elayne Manning Cole - Educator, Emergency Management Services, Enterprise, Alabama
1981 - Mr. M. Dale Marsh - Attorney, Partner: Marsh, Cotter & Tindol, Enterprise, Alabama
1978 - Mr. Hugh Weeks
1977 - Mr. Paul Dykes - Vice President, Community Bank & Trust, Enterprise, Alabama
1976 - Ms. Vickie Fildes
1975 - Mr. Ronnie Stuckey
1974 - Mr. Winston Brunson - Certified Public Accountant, partner: Barr, Brunson, Wilkerson & Bowden PC, Enterprise, Alabama
1973 - Mr. Tom Bracewell |
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