Markley and Medford Presented DSCC Outstanding Alumni Award
Markley and Medford Presented DSCC Outstanding Alumni Award
Katherine Markley of Atoka received DSCC’s Outstanding Alumni Award during the College’s annual spring update for faculty and staff Jan. 13.
Dyersburg, Tennessee – Dyersburg State Community College (DSCC) honored Katherine Markley of Atoka and Tonya Medford of Dyersburg with the Outstanding Alumni Award Jan. 13 inside the Student Center on the Dyersburg campus.
Kristol Sentell, president of the DSCC Alumni Association, along with Dr. Karen A. Bowyer, president of DSCC, presented the awards in front of over 200 faculty and staff during the College’s spring update.
Markley was a first generation nontraditional student who earned an Associate of Science degree in Business from DSCC in 2007. She is currently working toward a Bachelor of Science degree in Public Administration with a concentration in Organizational Leadership at East Tennessee State University.
Since graduating from DSCC, she has held various positions such as service learning coordinator at DSCC through AmeriCorps Vista; sales representative at AT&T; and office manager at the Alex Haley Museum and Interpretive Center. Markley is currently employed as a Regional Economic Development Initiative (REDI) mentor in Tipton County for Southwest Tennessee Development District. She is also an instructor for the Capstone class at Munford High School in partnership with Tipton County and the Haywood, Tipton, Lauderdale (HTL) Advantage.
Markley was awarded the Sam Walton Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) Member Award and is a member of the Tipton County Community Alliance and the Tipton County Chamber of Commerce. While attending DSCC, she was a Student Government Association (SGA) representative, a student ambassador and a member of Phi Theta Kappa (PTK).
“DSCC made me feel welcome as a nontraditional student,” stated Markley. “Most of my instructors became mentors to me and my family. I enjoyed attending at a time when the Covington location was growing and I was allowed to be a part of it. I am proud to be a DSCC alumna – I wouldn’t be where I am today without the work and support of Dr. Bowyer and DSCC.”
Markley resides in Atoka with her husband Christopher, also a DSCC alumni. They have three children: Matthew, Hunter and Madison.
Medford graduated as a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) from Tennessee Technology Center in Covington in 1999. She graduated from DSCC in 2009 with an Associate of Applied Science degree in Nursing. She plans to graduate this summer with a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing from the University of Memphis.
As an LPN, Medford worked at Baptist Memorial Hospital-Tipton and the West Tennessee State Penitentiary. Upon her graduation at DSCC, she worked as a registered nurse (RN) at the Lauderdale County Health Department. For the past five years she has worked as a practical nursing instructor at the Tennessee College of Applied Technology (TCAT) in Newbern and Ripley.
Medford was recently acknowledged by the TCAT-Newbern for 10 years of service working for the State of Tennessee. She is a current member of DSCC’s Nursing Advisory Committee.
“I chose Dyersburg State because of its familiarity and affordability,” stated Medford. “I grew to love the College because of the one-on-one interaction I was able to receive from instructors.”
Medford resides in Dyersburg with her husband Thaddaeus and their four children: Thaddaeus, Elijah, Aiyana and Kennedy.
Each year, DSCC presents the Outstanding Alumni Award to nominated individuals that have excelled in their field, given back to the community, and served as positive role models. Alumni that are interested in joining the DSCC Alumni Association should contact Amy Finch, director of public information and alumni coordinator, at 731-286-3347 or finch@dscc.edu.
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