Students, faculty and staff honored in TN Board of Regents SOAR Awards. Jackson State Community College and TCAT Knoxville are Colleges of the Year.

TBR - The College System of Tennessee honored outstanding students, faculty, staff, philanthropists, partners and volunteers of the year in the Eighth Annual Statewide Outstanding Achievement Recognition (SOAR) Awards in Nashville.

In addition to individual SOAR Award winners, Jackson State Community College and Tennessee College of Applied Technology (TCAT) Knoxville took home College of the Year honors in their respective college sectors.

TBR Chancellor Flora W. Tydings presented College of the Year trophies to Jackson State President Carol Rothstein and TCAT Knoxville President Kelli Chaney. They accepted on behalf of their entire campus communities, citing the dedicated work of their faculty and staff members on behalf of their students.

After weeks of college- and regional-level judging that selected 18 finalists for student, faculty and staff members of the year, the 2026 individual winners at the SOAR Awards Dinner and their fellow finalists are:

STUDENTS OF THE YEAR 

Community College:  Louis Rey Valenzuela, an electrical engineering technology student at Pellissippi State Community College who plans to continue his electrical engineering studies at a university.

Finalists:   Joshua Burleson, Southwest Tennessee Community College, and Samantha Cagle, Motlow State Community College.

TCAT:  Mia Suarez, an automotive technology student at TCAT Athens who plans to become a master technician and later open her own auto repair shop.

Finalists:  Gabriela Elena Davila, TCAT Memphis and Elena Mendez, TCAT Pulaski.

FACULTY MEMBERS OF THE YEAR

Community College: Dr. Lacey Benns, communications studies professor at Columbia State Community College.

Finalists:  Tracie Clifford, Chattanooga State Community College, and Karen Perrin, Jackson State Community College.

TCAT: Zachary Murray, welding technology instructor at TCAT McMinnville.

Finalists:  Melissa Price, TCAT Elizabethton, and Kathryn Sparks, TCAT Jackson.

STAFF MEMBERS OF THE YEAR

Community College: Lewis Jackson, director of enrollment management and high school partnerships at Chattanooga State Community College.

Finalists:  Catelyn Cochran, Dyersburg State Community College, and Courtney Woodard, Nashville State Community College.

TCAT: Crystal Hunter, accreditation, compliance and grants coordinator at TCAT Nashville.

Finalists:  Patricia Davis, TCAT Oneida/Huntsville, and Erika Smith, TCAT Northwest.

Other 2026 SOAR Awards:

Volunteer Award (recognizing an individual who has made a profound impact on the Foundation for the College System of Tennessee): Jennifer Kinsey, foundation board member and general manager & commercial business unit leader at Reeves Young.

Philanthropy Award (recognizing individuals, businesses or organizations whose philanthropy has significantly benefited students): Morning Pointe Foundation.  

Partnership Awards (recognizing innovative collaborations among our colleges and businesses to benefit students): TCAT Northwest & Tipton County Executive Jeff Huffman, and Pellissippi State Community College & the Blount Partnership.

Soaring Eagle Award (recognizing dedicated TBR system staff members who excel at serving our colleges and communities): Cris Perkins, TBR associate vice chancellor for strategic advancement & athletics

The student, faculty and staff SOAR Award winners receive cash prizes and, in addition, the student finalists are awarded scholarships through the College System’s Foundation and the Dr. Allana Hamilton Memorial Scholarship Fund, named in honor of the late TBR vice chancellor for academic affairs.

In a video appearance during the March 5 awards dinner, Gov. Bill Lee said, “It is an honor to celebrate each of Tennessee’s outstanding students, staff and faculty at the community colleges and Tennessee Colleges of Applied Technology across our state. Our community colleges and TCATS offer a variety of life-changing opportunities for Tennesseans, and these finalists stood out as leaders who have excelled within their communities. Congratulations on this honor, and thank you all for your hard work and dedication.”

In presenting the student awards, Tennessee Board of Regents Vice Chair Emily J. Reynolds told the audience, “I’ve had a chance to meet with each of the finalists in the past couple of days. You will find common threads in their stories. They are inspiring and moreover, they will give you an added confidence in the future of our great state.”

Chancellor Tydings congratulated all SOAR participants for their achievements. “We come together to celebrate our students, faculty and staff and the many others who go above and beyond to support what I believe is one of the best higher education systems in the country. Students, you inspire us with your strength, perseverance and dedication to enrich not only your own lives but the lives of your families.”

She also recognized the 35 members of our campus communities – students, faculty and staff – who were awarded the Chancellor’s Commendation for Military Veterans during Veterans Day activities on their campuses in November. The Chancellor asked all veterans and active-duty personnel present to stand and be recognized. The commendation recipients were also recognized individually earlier in the day at the Student Honors Luncheon.

The Vol State Community College Faculty Band entertained the students, parents, faculty, staff, supporters, Board of Regents members, Foundation Board members, state officials, and other guests of the colleges during the evening.

The two days of SOAR events also included the Student Honors Luncheon recognizing members of the Phi Theta Kappa All-Tennessee Academic Team and National Technical Honor Society students from across the system, the 2026 Tennessee Board of Regents Honors Choir composed of students from nine community colleges, and TBR Day on the Hill, in which students and presidents visited with legislators and officials in the State Capitol.

Other finalists for College of the Year for 2026 were Nashville State, Northeast State and Volunteer State community colleges and TCATs Henry/Carroll, Pulaski and Shelbyville.

SOAR is made possible by the following benefactors and sponsors: Presenting Sponsor Ayers Foundation Trust; Event Sponsors Batten Shaw Construction, BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee, Reeves Young, and Reletech; Education Champions Bauer Askew Architecture, D2L, Grace Design Studios, Hoar Construction, IMC Logistics, Morning Pointe Foundation, nSide, Oracle, and Stowers Caterpillar; College Champions American Constructors, BarberMcMurry Architects, BurWil Construction, Milek Media, and Tinker Ma Architecture, and Friends of TBR Bill and Pam Summons, First Horizon, Hip Hues, and Learning Labs Inc.