Jefferson celebrates student achievement at 2026 Student Success Awards
Published on Apr 28, 2026
Jefferson Community and Technical College proudly recognized some of its most outstanding students during the 2026 Student Success Awards Ceremony on April 15.
The annual event brought together students, faculty, staff, family members and supporters for an evening dedicated to celebrating academic excellence and the impact Jefferson students are making at the College.
A total of 39 students were nominated by faculty and staff from programs across the college, with more than two dozen students honored in person during the ceremony. Among the honorees were the winner of the 2026 Joyce Hancock Award, presented to the student author of the top-ranked creative writing submission in the Jefferson Review, and the recipient of the Metropolitan College Outstanding Student Award.
Throughout the evening, faculty presenters shared reflections on the students' accomplishments and the qualities that set them apart.
In addition to honoring this year's student recipients, the ceremony also included special recognition of Jefferson's 2016 National Champion Academic Team as the College celebrated the 10-year anniversary of their historic achievement.
This year's honorees included:
- Anthropology - Sinan Damad
- Applied Process Technologies - John Downs
- Art - Cecilia Mendez-Crowder
- Associate Degree Nursing - McKayla Lamey
- Associate in Science - Annemarie Kruger
- Automotive Technology - George Waggoner
- Aviation Maintenance Technology - Caitlin Rae Hartin
- Biology - Brandy R. Bell
- Business Administration - Aurora Loyall
- Commercial Driver's License Training - James Mason
- Chemistry - Catherine Guyer
- Communication Arts Technology - Jose Perez Cespedes
- Communications - Kyle Baird
- Computer & Information Technology - William Janes
- Construction Technology - Andrel Williams
- Culinary Arts - Clint Maddox
- Education - Kathleen Downey
- Engineering and Electronics Technology - Layth Zaidan
- English - Diana Torres Sanchez
- English as a Second Language - Evelyn Martin Chavez
- Geography, Geology, and Sustainability - Emma Elizabeth Rooney
- Health Information Technology - Kim Harris
- Human and Social Services - Ja'Loni V. Martinez
- Heating & Air Conditioning Technology - Paul Joseph Blincoe Jr.
- Industrial Maintenance Technology - Brendan Brown
- Joyce Hancock Award - Alexander Day
- Medical Assisting - Ashley Dehner
- Metropolitan College - Olivia Grace Craven
- Medicaid Nurse Aide - Dakota Campbell
- Occupational Therapy Assistant - Madeline Tobbe
- Physical Therapist Assistant - Abigail Ward
- Plumbing Technology - George Cumbee
- Practical Nursing - Emilee Marvel
- Practical Nursing, Carrollton Campus - Rain Aspen
- Psychology - Lukas Powell
- Radiography - Monica Stewart
- Respiratory Care - Kelly McLemore
- Toyota T-TEN - Jonathan Mosher
- Women's and Gender Studies - Rebekah Hope Tatro
