NCC Student Recognized for Academic Excellence

Lashonda Caine of Garysburg, NC is Nash Community College’s 2012-2013 Academic Excellence Award recipient. Each year, the Academic Excellence Award is presented to North Carolina community college students who exhibit outstanding scholastic achievements. The award represents the highest academic honor at Nash Community College. Pictured from left: Nash Community College Vice President for Instruction and Chief Academic Officer Dr. Trent Mohrbutter, Nash Community College Criminal Justice/Latent Evidence Technology student Lashonda Caine and State Board of Community Colleges Member Norma Bulluck Turnage. Turnage presented the award to Caine during a ceremony on Wednesday, April 17th.

Caine is a Criminal Justice/Latent Evidence Technology student maintaining a 3.912 overall grade point average. A stay-at-home mom for many years, she returned to school so she could one day pursue a new career and take some of the burden off her husband. Upon beginning at Nash Community College, she was introduced to genetic research and opportunities to explore a new direction, finding her passion in lab work, specifically DNA analysis. “Nash Community College provides an atmosphere where personal growth and success go hand-in-hand with academic success,” Caine said.

At Nash Community College, Caine has served as a tutor in the Peer Assisted Learning and Supplemental Instruction program and was the lead researcher on two independent research projects, a laboratory technician in the Biology Department, and President of the Math and Science Club.

“Each opportunity allowed me to develop skills to help further my studies at Fayetteville State University to earn a Bachelor of Science degree in Forensic Science with a Chemistry concentration. I am confident the skills learned at NCC have prepared me for an outstanding career in forensics,” she said.