Employment Leader Offers Life Advice to Graduates

Dr. Gregory Stallworth had plenty of sage advice – and catchy phrases – for December graduates from the Tennessee Technology Center at Dickson as he talked about their futures.

“You can’t be a great leader until you’ve been a follower,” he said, urging them to pay attention to their position in any organization.

Emphasizing the need for productivity, Stallworth, preached a little: “If God brought me to it, he’ll take me through it,” like the Baptist minister he is.

Since 2006, Stallworth has directed Ft. Campbell’s Equal Employment Opportunity office. He has 23 years of leadership experience in ministry, public affairs, education and training, equal employment and civil rights.

Stallworth urged the graduates to follow the lead of organizational guru Stephen Covey in being proactive by “beginning with the end in mind. Have a passport before you move out of when you are and have a visa for easy entry to go forward.”

Integrity. “Mean what you say and say what you mean,” Stallworth said.

Organize. “Fail to organize, you will agonize.”

“There are players and planners. Hope for the best. Plan for the worst,” he said.

In his introduction of Stallworth, TTC Dickson Director Mark Powers said Stallworth and the technology center were in about the same business – helping make employment opportunities available to all. “Plus, on the weekends, our students study to prepare for tests and work in class during the coming week. On Sundays, the Rev. Dr. Stallworth prepares his congregation for earthly tests as they do heavenly work,” eliciting a few chuckles.

In his welcome to students and their families, Powers challenged the graduates to mentor someone coming along behind them. “Help someone else to see the same need…the benefit of going to school. Be a mentor to that person. Challenge them to better their life.”

Cosmetology student Bethany Hutcheson accompanied herself on the piano as she sang Whenever You Remember.

Emcee for graduation ceremonies, Student Services Coordinator Gary A. Fouts, recognized several students for their induction into the National Technical Honor Society (with the asterisk indicating an honor graduate):

John Winston Allgood*, Mechatronics, Clarksville

Amy Angell*, Practical Nursing/Ashland City, Clarksville

Cathy Certain*, Business Systems Technology, Bon Aqua

Bret Hankes*, Machine Tool Technology/Clarksville, Clarksville

Scot Hankes*, Machine Tool Technology/Clarksville, Clarksville

Kathleen Harris*, Business Systems Technology, Dickson

Olivia Harvey*, Cosmetology, McEwen

Bethany Pearl Hutcheson*, Cosmetology, White Bluff

Sean Perry*, Practical Nursing/Ashland City, Kingston Springs

Three students from the Clarksville Machine Tool program were honored for earning certifications while still in school. Bret Hankes has earned eight certifications given by the National Institute of Metalworking Skills (NIMS). Scot Hankes has earned four NIMS certifications and Steve Mikell has earned two NIMS certifications.

“As you can imagine, because of the training we do, our staff members interact with business and industry leaders on a daily basis. One of the most critical traits they need in good employees is good attendance,” Fouts said. “These graduates know how much we preach good attendance. Today we want to honor two graduates for their perfect attendance,” he said before recognizing:

• Amy Angell, practical nursing graduate from the Ashland City campus. Angell is a Clarksville resident.
• Sean Perry, practical nursing graduate from the Ashland City campus. Perry is a Kingston Springs resident.

Fouts recognized two graduates who were nominated for Student of the Year:

• Sean Perry, Practical Nursing/Ashland City, Kingston Springs resident
• Chris Rada, Computer-Aided Drafting online, Pegram resident

Following is the list of graduates who participated in the ceremony, their program (and location if a campus other than the Dickson main campus) and their hometown. Those with an asterisk by their names were honor graduates (those students with A averages).

Richard Bentley, Computer Information Technology/Clarksville, Clarksville

Joe Blaylock*, Machine Tool Technology, Dickson

Odell Broom III*, Automotive Technology/Clarksville, Woodlawn

Angela Marie Burton*, Business Systems Technology/Clarksville, Clarksville

Derrick Casdorph, Automotive Technology/Clarksville, Clarksville

Frank Chambers*, Automotive Technology/Clarksville, Woodlawn

Diana Chapman, Practical Nursing/Ashland City, Pegram

Andrew Curry*, Diesel Powered Equipment, Dickson

Brookelyn Denney, Cosmetology, Cumberland Furnace

Rachal Lynne Dollard-Craig, Cosmetology, Charlotte

Jamesha Downey*, Business Systems Technology/Clarksville, Clarksville

Kandise Dye*, Cosmetology, Dickson

Lezlie L. Everett, Practical Nursing/Ashland City, Guthrie, KY

Erica Nicole Flowers, Cosmetology, McEwen

Kyleigh Floyd, Cosmetology, Burns

Bernard Gaston, HVAC/Refrigeration / Clarksville, Clarksville

Cody George*, HVAC/Refrigeration, Santa Fe

Andrea McClurkan Gribbins*, Cosmetology, White Bluff

David Hargrove*, Solar Photovoltaics, White Bluff

Jesse Jones*, Automotive Technology/Clarksville, Clarksville

Kaitlin Blair Kersey*, Practical Nursing/Ashland City, Clarksville

Cody Kimbro*, Machine Tool Technology, Dickson

Bruce A. Lehr*, Industrial Maintenance Technology, Bon Aqua

Amanda Little*, Cosmetology, Erin

Paul R. Little*, Industrial Maintenance Technology/Clarksville, Springfield

Steven Ray McFadden II*, HVAC/Refrigeration, Clarksville

Steven L. Mikell*, Machine Tool Technology/Clarksville, Clarksville

Christopher Rada*, Computer-Aided Drafting, Pegram

Zac Reinersman*, Solar Photovoltaics, Dickson

Jessica Anne Roesler, Practical Nursing/Ashland City, Indian Mound

Trent Shreeve, HVAC/Refrigeration, White Bluff

Amanda Lyn Sleamon, Cosmetology, Charlotte

Nicole D. Tafoya*, Practical Nursing/Ashland City, Clarksville

Detrick M. Toles*, Mechatronics, Clarksville

Monica Tovar, Cosmetology, Dickson

Tessa Trotter*, Cosmetology, White Bluff

Jasmine Chanel Waymyers*, Business Systems Technology/Clarksville, Clarksville

Kirsten Wilson*, Business Systems Technology, Dickson

Photo Identifications:

Dr. Gregory Stallworth

Cheatham County

Pictured (L to R) are Chris Rada of Pegram, Diana Chapman of Pegram and Sean Perry of Kingston Springs

Clarksville 1

Pictured (front row, L to R) are Nicole Tafoya, Odell Broom III (Woodlawn), Jasmine Waymyers, Jamesha Downey, Amy Angell; Pictured (back row, L to R) are Derrick Casdorph, Steven Mikell, Jesse Jones, Frank Chambers (Woodlawn) and John Allgood.

Clarksville 2

Pictured (L to R) are Detrick Toles, Bernard Gaston, Paul Little (Springfield), Bret Hankes, Kaitlin Kersey, Scot Hankes and Richard Bentley.

Dickson County 1

Pictured (front row, L to R) are Bethany Hutcheson, White Bluff; Brookelyn Denney, Cumberland Furnace; Kirsten Wilson, Dickson; and Bruce Lehr, Bon Aqua. Pictured (back row, L to R) are Steven McFadden, Clarksville; Andrew Curry, Dickson; Trent Shreeve, White Bluff; and Rachal Dollard-Craig, Charlotte.

Dickson County 2

Pictured (front row, L to R) are Monica Tovar, Dickson; Kyleigh Floyd, Burns; Cathy Certain, Bon Aqua; Amanda Sleamon, Charlotte; Andrea McClurkan-Gribbins, White Bluff; Tessa Trotter, White Bluff; Pictured (back row, L to R) are Cody Kimbro, Dickson; Joe Blaylock, Dickson; Zac Reinersman, Dickson; David Hargrove, White Bluff; Kandise Dye, Dickson; and Kathleen Harris, Dickson.

Hickman County

Pictured (L to R) are Bruce Lehr and Cathy Certain of Bon Aqua

Houston County

Amanda Little of Erin

Humphreys County

Pictured (L to R) are Amanda Little, Erin; Olivia Harvey, McEwen; and Erica Flowers, McEwen.

Stewart County

Pictured is Jessica Anne Roesler of Indian Mound

Santa Fe Cody George

Guthrie, Ky: Lezlie Everett