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WINSTON-SALEM — Forsyth Technical Community College held its 2019 commencement ceremony on Thursday, May 9, at the Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Winston-Salem. The ceremony recognized the achievements of 1,459 students who have earned 1,609 degrees, diplomas and certificates this academic year.

Forsyth Tech graduates ranged in age from 16 to 77, with an average age of 28. Students earned associate degrees in arts, science, engineering, fine arts, and applied science in a variety of career and technical education fields, and numerous certificates and diplomas.

Among the college’s distinguished graduates this year were four student award winners:

Danielle Rosson, winner of the North Carolina Community College System Academic Excellence Award, graduated from the cardiovascular sonography program, which only accepts four candidates each year. Rosson was on the president’s list with a 4.0 every semester and received the Flight Line Award for volunteering as a student ambassador — quite a feat considering in addition to classes, Rosson holds a full-time nurse assistant position and completes 30 hours of clinical hours each week. And, Rosson was one of two students selected nationwide to complete her final semester interning at Duke University. Rosson has accepted a position with Duke University Cardiac Diagnostics Unit as an adult cardiovascular sonographer.

Mallory Calfee was the Dallas Herring Award winner. Calfee joined Forsyth Tech as an adult student, and served as SGA president for 2018-2019. As a true advocate for the students, Calfee received the Daryl Mitchell Western Region award for outstanding student from the North Carolina Comprehensive Community College Student Government Association. Calfee plans to transfer to a university and finish her bachelor of science degree in biology with a minor in neuroscience. After that, she wants to pursue a master’s in neuroscience.

Selena Jimenez, a Forsyth Early College student, was the recipient of the Governor Robert W. Scott Student Leadership Award. Jimenez received her high school diploma and her associate in science degree and is a member of both the Phi Theta Kappa and Alpha Mu Beta Honor Societies. In addition to this award, Jimenez also received the Joan S. Keller Servant Leadership Award and the Dr. Michael Taylor Award from the North Carolina Comprehensive Community College Student Government Association. After graduation Jimenez plans to pursue a degree in chemical engineering or environmental science. A true problem-solver, Jimenez believes we can heal the world through science and leadership.

Britnee Tellez, winner of the college’s Work-Based Learning Student of the Year Award is a single mother with three children. Tellez carries a 3.70 GPA in the nonprofit leadership program and was selected to be a student ambassador at Forsyth Tech. She also served as a student representative to the Forsyth Tech Foundation Board and spent time shadowing the foundation staff, learning first-hand how a nonprofit organization really works. Last summer, Tellez was a work-based learning student interning with Lutheran Services of the Carolinas at Trinity Glen. This experience afforded her the opportunity to learn more about nonprofit operations. Recently, she was hired at Trinity Glen managing the schedules for 120 nursing staff.

Janet N. Spriggs, Ed.D., president of Forsyth Technical Community College, delivered the commencement speech. Spriggs was named Forsyth Tech’s seventh president on Oct. 19, 2018, and assumed the presidency in January 2019, following Gary Green’s retirement. She has more than 22 years of service in the North Carolina Community College System, having served in various executive leadership roles at Rowan-Cabarrus Community College from 2012 to 2018 and at Carteret Community College from 1996 to 2011. Spriggs was one of 40 leaders selected from across the nation as a 2018-2019 Aspen Presidential Fellow for Community College Excellence.