Northeast State recognized the year’s outstanding students at the 35th annual Honors Convocation held Thursday, April 30, at the Ballad Health Center for the Performing Arts (BHCPA) on the Blountville campus.
The college’s annual Honors Convocation recognized Northeast State’s top student achievers in each academic department, students graduating in May with honors, and the Outstanding Student Award and Adult Learner of the Year Award.
Lizbeth Barragan Ochoa received the Outstanding Student of the Year award for 2026. Ochoa is a University Parallel major, with a concentration in Pre-Allied Health. Derrick Groff received the Adult Learner of the Year Award. Groff graduates this spring with associate degrees in Social Work and Psychology.
The deans of each division presented the program area awards to the winning students. Below is a list of this year’s academic program award winners in various categories.
Technologies Division
Automotive Technology: Automotive Specialist – Pascal Lombardo; Automotive Technology: Auto Body Service Tech (TCP) – Izabel Poland; Automotive Service Tech/Automotive Service – Noah Pearman; Aviation Technology: Airframe and Powerplant – Thomas Starr; Electrical Technology/Electrical – Hayden Nave; Electrical Technology/Electromechanical – Bronson Norman; Electrical Technology/Construction Electricity – Jason Clinard; Engineering Design: Computer Aided Drafting – Madonna Rose; Entertainment Technology – Pascal Lombardo; Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning – Christopher Lundy; Industrial Technology/Engineering Design Technology – Ameris Bleckley; Industrial Technology/Machine Tool – Joshua Cole; Industrial Technology/Manufacturing Engineering (A.A.S.) – Aaron Bailey; Industrial Technology/Welding/Metal Fabrication – Audrey Shutts; Industrial Technology/Combination Welding (TCP) – Ioane Moana; Administrative Professional Technology/Business Office – Lucas Murphy; Administrative Professional Technology/Legal Office – Shae Ledbetter; Administrative Professional Technology/Medical Office – Alisha Goodman; Business/Accounting (A.A.S.) – Lura Shipley; Business Management (A.A.S.) – Robert Shouse; Small Business Management (A.A.S.) – Emma Chase; Computer Information Technology/Cyber Defense – Neal Fleck; Computer Information Technology/Networking – Christopher Harrell; Computer Information Technology/Programming – Austin Castle; Computer Information Technology/Systems Administration and Management – Meghan Lewis; Computer Science (A.S.) – Kayla Keene.
Behavioral & Social Science Division
Communication Studies – Ryan Adkins; Criminal Justice (A.A.S.) – Ashley Little; Criminal Justice (A.S.) – Makenzi Roberts; Early Childhood Education (A.A.S.) – Kaela Vines; Early Childhood Education Pre-K-3 (A.S.) – Carley McClure; Exercise Science – Rae Evans; Mass Communications – Noah Lyons; Media and Communications – Tyler Lawson; Political Science – Chase Phipps; Psychology – Olivia Hickman; Social Work – Rebecca Webb; Teacher Education/K-5 – Shelly Easterling; Teacher Education/Secondary – Estrella Mendoza; Teacher Education/Special Education – Antoinette Reshenberg.
Health Professions Division
Cardiovascular Technology/Invasive – Cheyenne Lingerfelt; Cardiovascular Technology/Non-Invasive – Kallista Deprimo; Medical Laboratory Technology – Kristen Lantz; Nursing/Traditional RN – James Edwards; Nursing: LPN to RN – Cara Hayton; Radiologic Technology – Ashur Ballard; Surgical Technology – Riley Cosgrove.
Humanities Division
Digital Media – Benjamin Berry; English – Presley Simpson; Foreign Language: Spanish – Estrella Mendoza; History – Jayden Breeden; Music – Bethany Moore; Philosophy – Johnny Tipton; Religious Studies – Kade Lemmon; Theatre – Aivree Byram; Visual Art and Design: Art History – Olivia Tedder; Visual Art and Design/Studio (A.A.) – Tara Stroub; Visual Art and Design – Studio (A.S.) – Brittany Hartley.
Honors Division/Honors Program – Ryan Adkins
Mathematics Division
Accounting – Tabitha Saulsbury; Business Administration – Wesley King; Mathematics – Ethan Bentley; Pre-Engineering: Chemical – Jack Hamlin; Pre-Engineering: Civil – Le Anh Tran; Pre-Engineering: Electrical – Wesley Jones; Pre-Engineering: Mechanical – Zeth Flores; Survey and Mapping – Nathan Smith.
Sciences Division
Agriculture – Rachel Parker; Agriculture: Animal Science – Morgan Hyatt; Agriculture – Plant and Soil – Noelle Blumberg; Biology – Arianna Brooks; Chemical Lab Technology – Justin Tate; Chemistry – Noah Higgins; Imaging Sciences – Evelyn Cardona; Nutrition and Food Sciences – Bailee Statzer; Physics – Zeth Flores; Pre-Dental Hygiene (ETSU Transfer) – Josephine Housewright; Pre-Health Professions – McKenzie Crosby; Pre-Lab Medical Science – Adamaris Rodgriguez; Pre-Nursing (ETSU Transfer) – Marcos Zuniga; Pre-Nursing Transfer to Milligan — Mikyah Gambrell; Pre-Occupational Therapy – Emily Arnold; Pre-Occupational Therapy (Milligan Transfer) – Haley Taylor; Pre-Pharmacy (ETSU) – Cheyenne Banks; Pre-Radiography – Austin Clarke; Pre-Rehabilitative Science – Alyson Merendino; Pre-Veterinary Science (Lincoln Memorial University Transfer) – Megan Goad; Pre-Wildlife and Fisheries (LMU Transfer) – Evan Wade.
Northeast State students Kevin Duffy, Naomi Johnson and Amber Mullins were named All-Tennessee Community College Academic Team Scholars.
The College also honored the President’s All-Academic Team of 2025-26. The All-Academic Team recognized the students graduating this spring with a perfect 4.0 grade point average. Those students are: Kassey Adams; Daniel Appleby; Lydia Babka; Sinead Bailey; Kaylee Beam; Laci Bean; Ethan Bentley; Mya Black; Ashton Blair; Dylan Blevins; Richard Bowers; Brandi Bradley; Jewel Briseno; Amelia Brown; Caleb Brumit; Austin Castle; Austin Clarke; Jason Clinard; Joshua Cole; Jazmond Coleman; Seth Collins; William Conder; Leigh Crouch; Shelly Easterling; Adam El abbassi; Krisalyn Elliott; Alexander Estes; Zeth Flores; Zorida Garcia Hawks; Samantha Gibson; John Goncalves; Jessica Grindstaff; Tara Grubb; Dillan Guldseth; Bailey Hall; Jack Hamlin; Carolina Hassett Olivia Hickman; Bladen Hooper; Carson Jennings; Breann Johnson; Nicholas Johnson; Don Keen; Abigail Kiser; Ashley Little; Christopher Lundy; Julissa Manrique; Emily Mattison; Joseph McClellan; Amiliona McFadden-Zaldivar; Timothy McGonigle; Eric McReynolds; Sylvia Middlemas; Reed Miller; Lauren Moore; Miranda Moore; Hannah Morefield; Alexis Mullins; Chandler Myers; Hayden Nave; Cody Necessary; Mia Parendo; Harris Perkins; Makenzi Roberts; Tabitha Saulsbury; Maleah Scalf; Michaela Shirey; Chad Smith; Sabastian Smith; Dalton Strapp; Jayden Tolley; Chanley Vengchiem; Luke Warden; Michael Watson; Alex White; Jaidyn Wilkinson; Elam Williams; and Korbyn Woodby.
The College’s Spring commencement takes place on Tuesday, May 12, beginning at 9:00 a.m. in the BHCPA Theater on the Blountville campus.
A full list of winners and honorees can be found in the Honors Convocation 2026 program: 2026 Honors-convocation-program April 30 2026.
Northeast State recognized the year’s outstanding students at the 35th annual Honors Convocation held Thursday, April 30, at the Ballad Health Center for the Performing Arts (BHCPA) on the Blountville campus.
The college’s annual Honors Convocation recognized Northeast State’s top student achievers in each academic department, students graduating in May with honors, and the Outstanding Student Award and Adult Learner of the Year Award.
Lizbeth Barragan Ochoa received the Outstanding Student of the Year award for 2026. Ochoa is a University Parallel major, with a concentration in Pre-Allied Health. Derrick Groff received the Adult Learner of the Year Award. Groff graduates this spring with associate degrees in Social Work and Psychology.
The deans of each division presented the program area awards to the winning students. Below is a list of this year’s academic program award winners in various categories.
Technologies Division
Automotive Technology: Automotive Specialist – Pascal Lombardo; Automotive Technology: Auto Body Service Tech (TCP) – Izabel Poland; Automotive Service Tech/Automotive Service – Noah Pearman; Aviation Technology: Airframe and Powerplant – Thomas Starr; Electrical Technology/Electrical – Hayden Nave; Electrical Technology/Electromechanical – Bronson Norman; Electrical Technology/Construction Electricity – Jason Clinard; Engineering Design: Computer Aided Drafting – Madonna Rose; Entertainment Technology – Pascal Lombardo; Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning – Christopher Lundy; Industrial Technology/Engineering Design Technology – Ameris Bleckley; Industrial Technology/Machine Tool – Joshua Cole; Industrial Technology/Manufacturing Engineering (A.A.S.) – Aaron Bailey; Industrial Technology/Welding/Metal Fabrication – Audrey Shutts; Industrial Technology/Combination Welding (TCP) – Ioane Moana; Administrative Professional Technology/Business Office – Lucas Murphy; Administrative Professional Technology/Legal Office – Shae Ledbetter; Administrative Professional Technology/Medical Office – Alisha Goodman; Business/Accounting (A.A.S.) – Lura Shipley; Business Management (A.A.S.) – Robert Shouse; Small Business Management (A.A.S.) – Emma Chase; Computer Information Technology/Cyber Defense – Neal Fleck; Computer Information Technology/Networking – Christopher Harrell; Computer Information Technology/Programming – Austin Castle; Computer Information Technology/Systems Administration and Management – Meghan Lewis; Computer Science (A.S.) – Kayla Keene.
Behavioral & Social Science Division
Communication Studies – Ryan Adkins; Criminal Justice (A.A.S.) – Ashley Little; Criminal Justice (A.S.) – Makenzi Roberts; Early Childhood Education (A.A.S.) – Kaela Vines; Early Childhood Education Pre-K-3 (A.S.) – Carley McClure; Exercise Science – Rae Evans; Mass Communications – Noah Lyons; Media and Communications – Tyler Lawson; Political Science – Chase Phipps; Psychology – Olivia Hickman; Social Work – Rebecca Webb; Teacher Education/K-5 – Shelly Easterling; Teacher Education/Secondary – Estrella Mendoza; Teacher Education/Special Education – Antoinette Reshenberg.
Health Professions Division
Cardiovascular Technology/Invasive – Cheyenne Lingerfelt; Cardiovascular Technology/Non-Invasive – Kallista Deprimo; Medical Laboratory Technology – Kristen Lantz; Nursing/Traditional RN – James Edwards; Nursing: LPN to RN – Cara Hayton; Radiologic Technology – Ashur Ballard; Surgical Technology – Riley Cosgrove.
Humanities Division
Digital Media – Benjamin Berry; English – Presley Simpson; Foreign Language: Spanish – Estrella Mendoza; History – Jayden Breeden; Music – Bethany Moore; Philosophy – Johnny Tipton; Religious Studies – Kade Lemmon; Theatre – Aivree Byram; Visual Art and Design: Art History – Olivia Tedder; Visual Art and Design/Studio (A.A.) – Tara Stroub; Visual Art and Design – Studio (A.S.) – Brittany Hartley.
Honors Division/Honors Program – Ryan Adkins
Mathematics Division
Accounting – Tabitha Saulsbury; Business Administration – Wesley King; Mathematics – Ethan Bentley; Pre-Engineering: Chemical – Jack Hamlin; Pre-Engineering: Civil – Le Anh Tran; Pre-Engineering: Electrical – Wesley Jones; Pre-Engineering: Mechanical – Zeth Flores; Survey and Mapping – Nathan Smith.
Sciences Division
Agriculture – Rachel Parker; Agriculture: Animal Science – Morgan Hyatt; Agriculture – Plant and Soil – Noelle Blumberg; Biology – Arianna Brooks; Chemical Lab Technology – Justin Tate; Chemistry – Noah Higgins; Imaging Sciences – Evelyn Cardona; Nutrition and Food Sciences – Bailee Statzer; Physics – Zeth Flores; Pre-Dental Hygiene (ETSU Transfer) – Josephine Housewright; Pre-Health Professions – McKenzie Crosby; Pre-Lab Medical Science – Adamaris Rodgriguez; Pre-Nursing (ETSU Transfer) – Marcos Zuniga; Pre-Nursing Transfer to Milligan — Mikyah Gambrell; Pre-Occupational Therapy – Emily Arnold; Pre-Occupational Therapy (Milligan Transfer) – Haley Taylor; Pre-Pharmacy (ETSU) – Cheyenne Banks; Pre-Radiography – Austin Clarke; Pre-Rehabilitative Science – Alyson Merendino; Pre-Veterinary Science (Lincoln Memorial University Transfer) – Megan Goad; Pre-Wildlife and Fisheries (LMU Transfer) – Evan Wade.
Northeast State students Kevin Duffy, Naomi Johnson and Amber Mullins were named All-Tennessee Community College Academic Team Scholars.
The College also honored the President’s All-Academic Team of 2025-26. The All-Academic Team recognized the students graduating this spring with a perfect 4.0 grade point average. Those students are: Kassey Adams; Daniel Appleby; Lydia Babka; Sinead Bailey; Kaylee Beam; Laci Bean; Ethan Bentley; Mya Black; Ashton Blair; Dylan Blevins; Richard Bowers; Brandi Bradley; Jewel Briseno; Amelia Brown; Caleb Brumit; Austin Castle; Austin Clarke; Jason Clinard; Joshua Cole; Jazmond Coleman; Seth Collins; William Conder; Leigh Crouch; Shelly Easterling; Adam El abbassi; Krisalyn Elliott; Alexander Estes; Zeth Flores; Zorida Garcia Hawks; Samantha Gibson; John Goncalves; Jessica Grindstaff; Tara Grubb; Dillan Guldseth; Bailey Hall; Jack Hamlin; Carolina Hassett Olivia Hickman; Bladen Hooper; Carson Jennings; Breann Johnson; Nicholas Johnson; Don Keen; Abigail Kiser; Ashley Little; Christopher Lundy; Julissa Manrique; Emily Mattison; Joseph McClellan; Amiliona McFadden-Zaldivar; Timothy McGonigle; Eric McReynolds; Sylvia Middlemas; Reed Miller; Lauren Moore; Miranda Moore; Hannah Morefield; Alexis Mullins; Chandler Myers; Hayden Nave; Cody Necessary; Mia Parendo; Harris Perkins; Makenzi Roberts; Tabitha Saulsbury; Maleah Scalf; Michaela Shirey; Chad Smith; Sabastian Smith; Dalton Strapp; Jayden Tolley; Chanley Vengchiem; Luke Warden; Michael Watson; Alex White; Jaidyn Wilkinson; Elam Williams; and Korbyn Woodby.
The College’s Spring commencement takes place on Tuesday, May 12, beginning at 9:00 a.m. in the BHCPA Theater on the Blountville campus.
A full list of winners and honorees can be found in the Honors Convocation 2026 program: 2026 Honors-convocation-program April 30 2026.
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