Northeast State’s John Adcox earned the College System of Tennessee’s outstanding community college staff member of the year honor during the first Statewide Outstanding Achievement Recognition (SOAR) celebration recently in Nashville.
Adcox is a specialist in the college’s Office of Veterans Affairs. He currently performs technical duties in support of the offices of Veterans Affairs and Admissions and Records and assists student veterans with the application process, orientation, and registration.
John Adcox
Adcox said he shares his success with Jessica Kelso, the college’s director of Veterans Affairs, and Steven Jones, a student veteran who works in the office. He also notes Pat Chandler for her role in founding Northeast State’s VA office. Chandler retired last year after 50 years of service to the college.
“The award is about Kelso and Pat Chandler. It’s about students we have served, the ones we currently serve, and those we will serve in the future. It’s about my colleagues and co-workers,” Adcox said. It’s a culmination of 50 years of work by the college. I’m just one piece of the puzzle…it’s all about the team.”
Adcox advanced through college- and regional-level competitions through a series of interviews to reach final judging by a panel of reviewers. He said he faced questions about diversity and inclusion, student success, and experiential learning. At the state level, one question involved having to explain how he would persuade an 8th grader to one day attend Northeast State.
“I didn’t really feel any pressure in the interviews,” Adcox said. “I’m passionate about my job so it was easy to talk about what I do.”
When asked about his approach to mentoring student veterans, Adcox quoted boxer Floyd Mayweather: “Showing is better than telling.”
“I don’t just give people a handout or tell them to go to a website,” Adcox said. “Kelso and I sit down with students and get to know them, find out what they need, and explain how college works. It’s a personal touch—I think that’s what set us and Northeast State apart.”
Adcox has held his current position at Northeast State since March 2014. Previously, he served as a college mentor in the College Access Program and master tutor in TRiO Student Support Services.
Adcox holds two associate degrees from Northeast State and a Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education from East Tennessee State University. He served as a medical specialist in the U.S. Army from 1992-95.
Northeast State’s John Adcox earned the College System of Tennessee’s outstanding community college staff member of the year honor during the first Statewide Outstanding Achievement Recognition (SOAR) celebration recently in Nashville.
Adcox is a specialist in the college’s Office of Veterans Affairs. He currently performs technical duties in support of the offices of Veterans Affairs and Admissions and Records and assists student veterans with the application process, orientation, and registration.
Adcox said he shares his success with Jessica Kelso, the college’s director of Veterans Affairs, and Steven Jones, a student veteran who works in the office. He also notes Pat Chandler for her role in founding Northeast State’s VA office. Chandler retired last year after 50 years of service to the college.
“The award is about Kelso and Pat Chandler. It’s about students we have served, the ones we currently serve, and those we will serve in the future. It’s about my colleagues and co-workers,” Adcox said. It’s a culmination of 50 years of work by the college. I’m just one piece of the puzzle…it’s all about the team.”
Adcox advanced through college- and regional-level competitions through a series of interviews to reach final judging by a panel of reviewers. He said he faced questions about diversity and inclusion, student success, and experiential learning. At the state level, one question involved having to explain how he would persuade an 8th grader to one day attend Northeast State.
“I didn’t really feel any pressure in the interviews,” Adcox said. “I’m passionate about my job so it was easy to talk about what I do.”
When asked about his approach to mentoring student veterans, Adcox quoted boxer Floyd Mayweather: “Showing is better than telling.”
“I don’t just give people a handout or tell them to go to a website,” Adcox said. “Kelso and I sit down with students and get to know them, find out what they need, and explain how college works. It’s a personal touch—I think that’s what set us and Northeast State apart.”
Adcox has held his current position at Northeast State since March 2014. Previously, he served as a college mentor in the College Access Program and master tutor in TRiO Student Support Services.
Adcox holds two associate degrees from Northeast State and a Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education from East Tennessee State University. He served as a medical specialist in the U.S. Army from 1992-95.
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