From a first-generation college student in Eastern North Carolina to a communications professional helping strengthen relationships between the United States and Japan, Dr. William Denton credits Nash Community College with providing the foundation that helped shape his education, career and commitment to community.
NCC has named Denton its 2026–2027 Outstanding Alumnus, recognizing a graduate whose educational and professional journey has taken him from the classrooms of NCC to work with national and international reach.
Born and raised in the Rocky Mount area with family roots in Sandy Cross, Denton grew up in a family without a traditional history of attending college. His father studied automotive technology at what was then Nash Technical College before beginning a career at the Cummins plant, while his mother later completed Certified Nursing Assistant training.
As the oldest of four children, Denton said his parents instilled in him an appreciation for education and its ability to create opportunities for future generations.
All of this made NCC the natural place to begin his own higher education journey.
Denton enrolled at NCC after high school and completed his Associate in Arts degree through the college transfer program in 2005. He remembers NCC as more than an affordable way to complete the first two years of his college education. For a self-described introvert from a small community, NCC became a place where he encountered new people, perspectives and opportunities that helped him grow.
“It changed me for the better,” Denton said. “It gave me a better sense of community.”
While at Nash, Denton became involved beyond the classroom. He was elected vice president of the Student Government Association and later became secretary-treasurer of the Gamma Beta Phi Honor Society.
Nash was also where he earned his first paying job, working for Student Support Services as a tutor.
The relationships he developed with faculty and staff became equally significant. During his interview, Denton recalled numerous instructors and mentors who invested in him personally and academically, including Kay Geelo, Mike and Robin Latham, Keith Milks, Dr. and Mrs. Peacock and Reggie Cobb.
Many of those relationships have continued long after graduation.
One relationship proved especially important during Denton’s final semester at NCC.
Math had always been a challenge, and a required precalculus, trigonometry and geometry course became one of the moments when Denton questioned whether he would be able to complete his degree. He credits his professor, Mrs. Peacock, with patiently investing the time necessary to help him succeed.
Denton passed the course and graduated.
Years later, the student who once worried that math might prevent him from completing an associate degree would ultimately earn a doctorate.
After Nash, Denton transferred to North Carolina State University, where he studied political science and history. When his grandfather became ill, Denton returned home and later continued his education through Liberty University, earning a Bachelor of Science in Religious Studies with a minor in Biblical Studies.
He subsequently earned a master’s degree in Ancient and Classical History from American Public University and a Ph.D. in Humanities with a focus on World History from Lilongwe University in Malawi, Africa. His doctoral program included an international component, and the COVID-19 pandemic ultimately required him to defend his dissertation virtually rather than traveling to Africa as originally planned.
Today, Denton serves as Communications Manager for the Japan-America Society of Washington, D.C., an organization focused on strengthening relationships between the people of Japan and the United States.
His work helps support major cultural and educational initiatives, including the Sakura Matsuri Japanese Street Festival, which Denton described as the largest celebration of Japanese culture in the United States and which attracts approximately 40,000 attendees over two days. The organization also coordinates the National Japan Bowl, a Japanese language competition for high school students, along with other programs and events.
The role has placed the Eastern North Carolina native in rooms he once might never have imagined entering.
“I think my connection with the Japan-America Society just shows how somebody from humble beginnings in Eastern North Carolina can have not just a national impact, but a global impact,” Denton said.
Despite the reach of his career, Denton remains connected to Eastern North Carolina. He helped found the Lightyear Astronomical Association, a nonprofit focused on expanding STEM education opportunities in underserved communities.
Denton credits NCC with helping him develop the ability to connect with people from different backgrounds and perspectives, a skill that continues to influence his communications career.
“Here at Nash is when I kind of came out of my shell,” Denton said. “I was able to interact with people, see how other people may view the world, different opinions, different personalities, and that’s what’s helped me in my career in communications.”
But the recognition carries special meaning because of what NCC continues to represent in his life.
His NCC Associate in Arts diploma remains displayed alongside his bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees, as do awards and recognitions from his time at the college.
“This place means a lot to me,” Denton said.
And his advice to someone uncertain about whether NCC is right for them is simple:
“Do it. It’ll change your life.”
