2010-2011 ACED Outstanding students

Marquisa T. Rivers - Outstanding Student of Office Administration & Technology and Outstanding Undergraduate Student

Marquisa Rivers is from Alamo, Georgia. Her mother is Beverly Rivers, and her grandparents are Jewrell and Ida Mae Rivers. She is a senior at Valdosta State University, majoring in Office Administration and Technology. Marquisa has been a resident assistant on campus for the past two years, and is involved with Campus Outreach, a ministry committed to knowing God and training others to know Him too. In her spare time, Marquisa enjoys fishing, listening to music, and laughing with good friends. After graduation, she hopes to travel and share her life with new people.

Nive H. Moore - Outstanding Student in Business Education and recipient of NBEA Award of Merit

Nive Humphries Moore was born in Pelham, Georgia, attended Grady County Schools and graduated from Cairo High School in 1987.   Her parents are Tommy and La Donnia Humphries of Pelham, Georgia.  She earned her Associates degree from Bainbridge College in 2009 and will receive her Business Education degree from Valdosta State University in 2012.   Nive is currently employed as a bookkeeper for her family owned business, Cairo Glass & Paint in Cairo, Georgia. She is married to Michael E. Moore, and they have two daughters, Hailee who is sixteen and Madison who is twelve.

Nive’s goal for the futureis to obtain her Master's Degree in BusinessEducation and then to teach Business Education in the Grady County School System.  She would like to thank Dr. Iris Ellis for everything she has done for her. Dr. Ellis has been a constant source of inspiration and encouragement.

Kayano W. Bell - Outstanding Adult and Career Education Masters Student

Kayano W. Bell was born in Albany, Georgia. Her parents are Florine W. Thomas and Johnny W. Williams, Sr. and stepfather, Samuel Thomas. She has been married to Arthur L. Bell, Jr. for 23 years and they have 3 beautiful children, Arthur III, Kayla, and Kaye. Kay’s interest to help others dates back to her early childhood years while in the role of a fire marshal. One of her proudest moments was when she received a fire marshal trophy which symbolized her passion and dedication to students. As she grew older, she realized she wanted to make a difference in the lives of others through education. She graduated from Westover High School in 1988 and later began her journey to explore higher education at Darton College where she obtained an A.A.S. in Business Computer Systems, A.A. in Music, A.A.S. in Office Administration, and Certificates in Church Music and Information Processing. During those years, Kay received merit list honors and nominations for Who’s Who Among Students. After building a rapport with the campus community, she became employed there in 2004 and her desire to make a difference was recognized through an award for Staff Employee of the Month and nomination for Staff of the Year. In 2005, she was selected and published in Darton’s music department brochure and was the first music major to have an original composition included in Darton’s magazine.

As time progressed, Kay wanted to know more about the way adults learn in order to better understand and facilitate adult learning. She began to expand her knowledge in the area of Adult Education at Valdosta State University where she obtained a B.S. in Adult & Career Education (2009) and a M.Ed. in Adult & Career Education (2010). Kay maintained a 4.0 GPA during her enrollment and was inducted into two prestigious honor societies, Omicron Delta Kappa- National Leadership Honor Society and Kappa Delta Pi- International Honor Society in Education. She is very thankful to God for her many blessings and feels very fortunate to have a family that provides great support. Kay appreciates how her mother instilled in her to always do her best regardless of the task. She also commends her ACED instructors (Drs. Backes, Hudson, Ott, Martinez, Mat Som, McClung, and Whisler) for providing quality instruction that has been very influential in her learning experiences and professional growth.

Kay currently serves in the role of a Sr. Application Analyst at Albany State University and has a strong interest in finding ways to enhance the quality of learning through technology. One of her future goals is to obtain an Ed.D. in Adult & Career Education from Valdosta State University. Another goal is to effectively bridge education and technology in order to improve the teaching-learning process, increase student achievement, and better accommodate individual needs of students. This goal involves creating computer-based instruction by seeking new initiatives and developments and exploring the advantages of various technologies.

Henry B. Hobbs - Outstanding Adult and Career Education Doctoral Student

Henry B. (Hank) Hobbs
Director of Economic Development Services, Altamaha Technical College
Hank Hobbs is originally from Blackshear, Georgia.  He attended Pierce County High School and graduated in 1987.  He has both his Bachelors and Masters Degree in Engineering and Technology from Georgia Southern University.  He spent 10 plus years in industry, working with Emerson Electric Company as a Manufacturing/ Industrial and later Plant Engineer and Safety, Health and Environmental Manager.  Hank has a vast background in welding, automation, metals manufacturing, finishing, and regulatory training.  Hank has been with the Technical College System since 2001 working in both credit instruction and customized/contract training.  He is a Certified Economic Developer Trainer and a graduate of the Georgia Academy for Economic Development.  Hank received the 2009 Georgia Trend Magazine recognition, “Forty under Forty – Georgia’s Best and Brightest”.
Presently, Hank is pursuing his Doctorate in Adult and Career Education through Valdosta State University.  Hank is married to the former Debbie Bryant of Waycross, GA. and has two children, Kristin age 13 and Megan age 10.  He now resides in Hazlehurst, GA where his wife is an administrator with the Jeff Davis County School System.  Future aspirations see Hank as the President of one of Georgia’s Technical Colleges or a community college/small university in the Southeast.
He gives credit to his wife and kids for all that he has accomplished throughout his career.  “They provide me with the “home life” necessary to allow me to focus on the task at hand…whatever it may be.  They are my strength, my inspiration, and my motivation.”  

Kimberly D. Wright - Outstanding Student in Bachelors of Applied Science

Kimberly Diane Wright was born on December 29, 1987 in Bainbridge, Georgia.  She spent most of her life in the small town of Whigham, Georgia.  Kim was born the middle child of 3 to her mother, Mary S. Willis.  She has an older brother, Tommy Wright and a younger sister, Jessica Wright, who, in addition to her mother, have been a vital part of her success.  Kim attended Cairo High School and graduated, with honors, in the spring of 2006.  In the spring of 2008, she graduated, an honor graduate, from Bainbridge College with her Associate’s Degree in Computer Information Systems.  After obtaining her Associate’s Degree, Kim transferred to Georgia Southwestern State University and studied Information Technology, but after a year, she enrolled at Valdosta State University in the Adult and Career Education (ACED) program, where she obtained her Bachelor’s Degree in Technical Studies in the fall of 2010.  Throughout her life, Kim has received numerous recognitions and awards, such as: Top Ten Junior and Senior, Top Latin Junior and Senior, Georgia Outstanding Awards of Leadership Nominee for Computer Information Systems, Dark Knight Award, and Employee of the Quarter.  She has also been on the Dean and President’s list of top students.  In addition to Kim’s academic excellence, she is also a member of the Bainbridge College Computer Club, Alpha Beta Gamma, Kappa Delta Pi, Omicron Delta Kappa, Sigma Alpha Pi, and Golden Key Honor Society. 

Her career aspiration is to become a Human Resource Manager.  Kim is currently gaining experience at Rite Aid as a Supervisor in order to successfully obtain and fulfill this goal.  In the next 5 years, she plans on furthering her education and obtaining a Master’s Degree in Organizational Leadership and also, fulfilling her career goal.  Kim would like to give special thanks, first and foremost, to God, for blessing her to achieve all that she has, to her family, friends, and professors for always being supportive and encouraging, for always believing in her, and giving her the inspiration that she needed to become a success in, not only, the ACED program, but also, life.

Jason C. Howes - Outstanding Student in Workforce Education & Development

Jason Charles Howes was born and raised in the great state of Florida.  He was born at the Naval Air Station Jacksonville on June 22, 1973.   Jason is the son of Charles and Patricia Howes (both deceased) and was raised in the little town of Live Oak, Florida.  He graduated from Suwannee High School in 1991 and then joined the Navy soon after. Jason attended some distance learning classes from University of Maryland and was enrolled in ECPI College of Technology. He holds a Journeyman status in electronics and various other certifications through the Navy.  Jason has several military decorations to include three Navy Commendation Medals and Four Navy Achievement Medals. He is currently active duty military serving onboard a guided missile destroyer out of Mayport Florida.   Jason has been in the Navy for almost twenty years.  He intends on pursuing his Masters Degree in ACED and perhaps further.  “I would like to thank all my professors: Dr. McClung, Dr. Mat Som, Dr. Hudson, Dr. Siekkenen, Dr. Ubhaus, Professor Cato, Professor Willis, Mrs. Catharine Christie and her Kings Bay - VSU staff, and all my peers for helping me along the way.”

Amanda H. Nees - Outstanding Business Education Student Teacher

Amanda Nees is a senior majoring in Business Education. Amanda was born in Albany, Georgia and graduated from Worth County High School in Sylvester, Georgia. She is the daughter of Ricky and Tracy Harrell of Albany, Georgia. Amanda began at Valdosta State University in 1999 and graduated in 2003 with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing. She has been married for four years to her husband Bryan. In May, Amanda will graduate with a degree in Office Administration and Technology along with her Business Education degree. She plans to continue on to graduate school and will pursue a career in Business Education.

Amanda aspires to be a great mentor and supervising teacher to other Business Education students in the future. Dr. Iris Ellis, Mrs. Rachel Roberts, and Mrs. Jodi Scruggs have been excellent in providing a wonderful experience during her time as a VSU student and as a student teacher at Lowndes High School. Amanda is eager to have her own classroom and hopes to be a great teacher like those wonderful ladies. She would like to thank them as well as her husband and parents for being so supportive. She has truly been blessed.