Midlands Tech recognizes outstanding young and adult students
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Midlands Technical College

Among this year's Midlands Technical College's honorees were Leslie Chartier and Timothy McConnell, who were nominated to represent the college on the All- USA Academic Team for Community Colleges. This national program, sponsored by Phi Theta Kappa, USA Today , and the American Association of Community Colleges, recognizes the scholarly achievements of students enrolled in community, technical and junior colleges.

"The Honors Ceremony is a special occasion, a time when the college community celebrates the academic successes, literary talents and service contributions of our students," said Dr. Marshall (Sonny) White, Jr., president of Midlands Technical College. "It's also a time when we honor those students who have gone above and beyond what they were expected to do."

Wendy Samuel was named Outstanding Returning Adult Student. Wendy Samuel's accomplishments are unbelievable. Samuel, 43, is a double business major with a 3.912 grade point average, the mother of two boys, president of the Student Advisory Board, a business manager, a college ambassador and a volunteer tutor, for starters.

Samuel, who will graduate from Midlands Technical College this May with a double- business degree in management and accounting, started her college education at Central Carolina Technical College in Sumter, SC. When her fiancé moved the business they co- manage, Airbrush Un- limited, to Columbia, Samuel needed to transfer schools.

A teacher at Central Carolina recommended Samuel attend MTC. Samuel thrived in her classes at MTC and became very involved in campus activities, including representing MTC at several of Columbia's Business at Sunrise meetings, joining two honor societies and volunteering to tutor students in accounting.

Sarah Martin was named Outstanding Student in Office Systems Technology. Sarah Martin is this year's Midlands Technical College Outstanding Student in Office Systems Technology. Martin, who graduated from A.C. Flora High School in 1997, is a wife and mother of two girls, ages six and seven. Martin enrolled at MTC in 2005, when both of her girls reached school age.

According to Christie Stoddard, who taught Martin in four different classes, Martin is a great student academically, has excellent communication skills, ac-tive in her community, and has a "wonderful outlook and disposition."

Until April of last year, Martin was a council member of the Natchez Indian Tribe of South Carolina where she helped plan tribe functions and prepared documents to help the tribe achieve state recognition. The tribe of about 80 members was formally recognized as a "Group" by the State of South Carolina Commission for Minority Affairs on February 2, 2007. Martin's father is currently the chief of the Natchez Tribe of South Carolina, and Martin says she plans to start work with the tribe again after graduation.

Martin is currently an intern at the law firm Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough. Martin hopes to continue working in office technology in the legal setting after she graduates this May.