2024 Distinguished Alumni Honorees

2024 Distinguished Alumni Honorees, Vernon Norwood and Leslie Valentine.

The 2024 Honorees were recommended by the Distinguished Alumni Recommendation Committee and selected by SPC President Dr. Robin Satterwhite.

Vernon Norwood attended SPC from 2011 to 2013 and majored in general studies. While at SPC, Vernon was a six-time NJCAA all-American who ran on 4×400-meter relay teams. He set personal Norwoodrecords of 20.93 seconds in the 200-meter dash and 45.72 in the 400-meter dash in 2012. Since his time at South Plains College, Vernon has represented Team USA in multiple competitions. In the 2020 Summer Olympics, he earned a gold medal in the men’s 4x400 relay and a bronze medal in the 4x400 mixed relay. In the men’s 4x400 relay of the 2024 Summer Olympics, Vernon along with Team USA set a record of 2:54.43 and earned their third consecutive gold medal in the event. Vernon was also on the mixed 4x400 relay team, which had the third-best time in history and won a silver medal with a time of 3:07.74.

 

Leslie Valentine attended SPC from 1984 to 1986 and received an Associate of Arts. While at SPC, Valentine worked as a tutor in the college’s Learning Center and performed in the band. After graduating from Texas Tech, Leslie juggled buyer, merchandise manager and store manager positions at Foot Locker for nearly a decade. From 1999 to 2004, she applied her skills in merchandising and product creation roles at Adidas. In the past few decades, Leslie has worked her way up from sales account executive at Nike to the company’s senior regional product creation director who manages teams in Singapore and other Asian countries. She has earned Nike Maxim Awards for The Consumer Decides and Master the Fundamentals and completed the Dare to Lead Training through Brene’ Brown Brave Leaders Inc.

The Distinguished Alumni Award

The Distinguished Alumni Award has been established at South Plains College to recognize and honor the noteworthy achievements of its former students. Recipients of this prestigious award are

Valentine

 selected from a pool of nominations submitted to the Distinguished Alumni Awards Committee by the faculty and friends of South Plains College. Nominees for the award must be former stu

dents in which the College was a legitimate part of their educational career. They must have worked at least10 years in their chosen profession or have made significant contributions in their career if less than 10 years. Additionally, they must be recognized for outstanding contributions and achievements by colleagues or employers. All nominations are screened by the Awards Committee which submits its award recommendations to the President of the College. The recommendations are affirmed by the South Plains College Board of Regents through an official resolution bestowing the award.  

 

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Distinguished Alumni Hall of Honor

2024 Honorees

  • Vernon Norwood, (2011-2013, A.A.), Track and Field Sprinter and Two-Time Gold Medal Olympian, Baton Rouge, LA 
  • Leslie Valentine, (1984-1886 A.A.), Senior Regional Product Creation Director for Nike, Beaverton, OR

2023 Honorees

  • Charles "Bo" Outlaw, (1989-1991, A.S.), retired NBA power forward/center; Community Ambassador, Orlando Magic; Orlando, FL
  • John Stoll, (1995-1997. A.S.), Broadcast and Multimedia Supervisor, NASA; Houston, TX
  • Heath Wright, (1992-1993, A.A.) Country Music Recording Artist; Vain, OK 

2022 Honorees

  • Kevin Dane, (1989-1991, A.S.), Vice President of Infrastructure Product Quality at Dell Technologies; Cedar Park, TX
  • Stephanie Lynn Smith, (2009-2011, A.S.), SPC Alumni Coordinator; Levelland, TX

2021 Honorees

  • Sgt. Joshua Bartlett, (2010-2012, A.A.S.), Sergeant and Assistant SWAT Commander, Lubbock’s Sheriff’s Office; Shallowater, TX
  • John Duff, (2007-2009, A.S.), Executive Vice President, National Sorghum Producers, and United Sorghum Checkoff Program; Lubbock, TX
  • Derrell Edwards, (2010-2012, A.A.), NASCAR Professional – Jackman, Joe Gibbs Racing; Denver, NC

2020 Honorees

  • Terry Hill, (1978-1980, A.A.S.), CEO, Maroon Group; Founder, Apex Distribution Consulting; Redmond, WA
  • Dereesa Reid, (1979-1981, A.S.) Administrator, Shriners Hospital for Children; Vancouver, WA

2019 Honorees

  • Kathy Hutchinson, (1977-1979, A.A.S.) Director of Special Education, South Plains Educational Coop; Levelland, TX
  • Brett Taylor, (1978-1980, A.S.) Owner and Founder of Taylor Companies; Dallas, TX

2018 Honoree

  • Rear Admiral Ronny L. Jackson, M.D., (1986-1988, A.S.) Physician to the President of the United States; Silver Spring, Maryland

2017 Honorees

  • Kenneth Alan Foster, (1986-1988, A.S.) Technical Assurance Program Manager, Global Projects, LyondellBasell Chemical Corporation; Brenham, Texas
  • Jennifer Galey, MSN, RN, FNP-BC, (2004, Vocational Nursing Certificate) Family Nurse Practitioner, Lamb Healthcare Family Medicine; Lubbock, TX

2016 Honorees

  • Deborah A. Alsup, (1983-1985, A.A.S.) Senior Director of Sales, Team Leader, Paris Presents, Inc.; Bentonville, Arkansas
  • Elijah D. Williams, (1996-1999, A.S.) North America Sales Manager, Tweel Technologies; Simpsonville, South Carolina

2013 Honorees

  • Brian Butcher,(2003-2004), Spacecraft Software Engineer, NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas
  • Robin Satterwhite, MBA, ED.D., FACHE, (1988-1990, A.S.), Dean and Professor, Texas Tech University Health Sciencess Center, Lubbock, Texas
  • Jamie K. Roney,BSN, BSHCM, RN, CCRN, (1990-1991; 1992-1994, Certificate of Proficiency, Vocational Nursing; A.S.), Nurse Specialist, Sepsis Coordinator, Covenant Health System, Lubbock, Texas
  • Dennis Patton, (1960-1962 A.S.), Posthumous Award, SPC Professor, Co-owner of Chem Tech Services, served on the SPC Board of Regents, Levelland, Texas

2008 Honorees

  • Ronald K. Baccus, (1988-1990, A.S.), Structures Subsystems Manager, Orion Crew Module Project, NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas
  • Leann Kuenstler Ellis, Ed.D., (1977-1979, A.A.), Vice President for Academic Affairs, Butler Community College, El Dorado, Kansas
  • Dan M. Harris, Jr. (1987-1989, A.A.), Assistant Chief Patrol Agent, United States Border Patrol, Marfa (Texas) Section, Marfa, Texas
  • Steven M. Presley, Ph.D. (1978-1980, A.S.), Associate Professor and Research Coordinator, Institute for Environmental and Human Health, Adm. E.R. Zumwalt, Jr. National Program for Countermeasures to Biological and Chemical Threats, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas
  • The Honorable David A. Swinford, (1959-1961, A.S.), Member, Texas House of Representatives, District 87, and principal owner of Ag-Plus Consulting, Dumas, Texas

1998 Honorees

  • C. Donald Combs, Ph.D., (1970-71, A.A.), Vice President for Planning and Program Development, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, Va.
  • H. David Cook, M.D., (1967-69, A.A.), partner and physician in the Dallas Obstetrical Gynecological Association, Dallas, Texas
  • Gary W. Owen (1974-76), A.S., Vice President of Engineering Services, Cliffs Drilling Company, Houston, Texas
  • Robby Timberlake, R.Ph. (1966-68, A.A.), registered pharmacist and partner in Baggett Pharmacy, Levelland, Texas.

1995 Honorees

  • Bill M. Balch, M.D., (1973-75, A.S.), Doctor of Internal Medicine, private practice, Levelland, Texas.
  • *Ruanna Myers Gossett, D.V.M. (1976-78, A.S.), Postdoctoral Research Associate, College of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University, Bryan, Texas
  • S. Kent Harrison, Ph.D., (1975-77, A.S.) Associate Professor of Agronomy, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio.
  • Sally Rowell Snow, B.S.N., R.N., (1969-71, A.S.), Trauma Services Coordinator, Cook-Fort Worth Children's Medical Center, Fort Worth, Texas
  • Thomas R. Watkins, D.D.S., (1972-73, A.S.), Clinical Associate Professor, University of Texas Health Sciences Center School of Dentistry, San Antonio, Texas.

1990 Honorees

  • Michael Balch, M.D. (1968-70), Doctor of Internal Medicine, private practice, Levelland, Texas.
  • *Don Boedeker, (1969-71, A.S.), Quality Assurance Engineer, U.S. Navy Weapons Base, Ridgecrest, Calif.
  • *Larry McVay, (1958-67, A.S.), Vice President and General Manager of Amoco Pipeline Co., Chicago, Ill.
  • David R. Stanley, (1958-60, A.A., deceased), former Professor of Government, South Plains College, Levelland, Texas.
  • *Royce W. Waltrip II, Ph.D., (1972-74, A.S.), Research Psychiatrist, University of Maryland School of Medicine.
  • *William R. Wheeler, (1965-67, A.S.), Engineering Consultant and Partner, Analysis and Design Applications, Co., Ltd., Bayshore, N.Y.

1987 Honorees

  • *Dennis Deel, (1965-67, A.A., deceased), Manager, Analytical Mechanics Division, Martin-Marietta Corp., New Orleans
  • *Leslie Lawrence, (1959-61), Professor of Art, Grossmont College, El Cajon, Calif., noted ceramic artist
  • Thomas Spencer, Jr., Ph.D., (1958-59), President of Garland County Community College, Hot Springs, Ark.
  • Terry Tubb, M.D., (1960-62, A.A.), Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon, Midland, Texas
  • Kenneth Turner, Ph.D., (1965-67,A.A., deceased), Curator of No Man's Land Museum, Goodwell, Okla., noted forensic anthropologist.

*Position or occupation listed here is as of time of award.

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