DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI

• Meredith Knowles Abramson
  • Catawba College, M.Ed. - English/Language Arts and NC Certification English (6-12), 2003
  • Catawba College, B.A. - Elementary Education, 1997
    
  • Art Education - North Carolina Certification Art Education (K-12), August 2006
  • National Board Certified Teacher - Early Adolescence/English Language Arts, 2004
  • NC Certification Elementary Education (K-6) with Minors in English and Spanish
    
  • North Carolina Association of Educators
  • Rowan-Salisbury Association of Educators
  • National Council of Teachers of English
  • Distinguished Citizenship recognition - Granite Quarry Civitan Club, 2012
    
  • Advisor to the Rowan County Early College Junior Civitan Club
    
  • Advisor of the Year - Civitan International, 2011-2012 and 2008-2009
    
  • Led the RCEC Club to be named Junior Civitan Club of the Year in North Carolina District West and second in International Junior Civitan
  • Teacher of the Year -  Rowan County Early College, 2013–2014
    
  • Citizen of the Year - Civitan International, Granite Quarry Civitans, 2012-2013
    
  • Female Runner of the Year - Salisbury-Rowan Runners, 2011-2012
    
  • Excellence in Teaching Nominee - Rowan-Cabarrus Community College, Fall 2007
    
  • Terry Sanford Award - Creativity and Innovation in Teaching and Administration - North Carolina Association of Educators, March 2004
    
  • Runner-up RSS Teacher of the Year - Rowan Salisbury Schools, 2003–2004
  • Good Samaritan Award, Broward County Sheriff's Office, June 2001
    
    
• Dr. Ronald W. Christman
  • Catawba College – B.A. – Elementary Education
    
  • University of North Carolina - M.Ed. -  Certificate of elementary principal
    
  • Lehigh University -  Supervisor of curriculum and instruction certificate
    
  • Immaculata University
    - Doctorate in education
    - Superintendent's letter of eligibility
    
  • Environmental Conservation Teacher Award for North Carolina
    
  • Educator of the Year, Salisbury Civitan Club
    
  • District Teacher of Year, Association of Classroom Teachers of North Carolina
    
  • Salisbury Teacher of the Year
    
  • Salisbury's Young Man of the Year, Jaycees of Salisbury
    
  • 2010 Berks-Mont Newspapers Educator of the Year Award recipient
    
    
• Mr. Phil Kirk
  • Catawba College, B.A., 1967
    
  • Director, Brady Energy Services (currently)
    
  • Former positions and awards include:
    
  • Vice President for External Relations, Catawba College
    
  • Chairman Emeritus of the State Board of Education (1997-2003)
    
  • President/CEO of North Carolina Citizens for Business and Industry (NCCBI), the state chamber of commerce and state manufacturing association
    
  • Vice Chairman of the State Board of Community Colleges
    
  • Public School Forum of North Carolina board and executive committee
    
  • Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce
    
  • Vice Chairman of the State Board of Community Colleges
    
  • Board of Visitors at East Carolina University
    
  • Board Member - Meredith College, UNC TV, North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching Foundation, Visiting International Faculty program, and Learning Station
    
  • Chief of Staff for Governors Jim Holshouser and Jim Martin and U. S. Senator Jim Broyhill
    
  • Secretary of the Department of Human Resources
    
  • I.E. Ready Award- North Carolina Community College System
    
  • Holderness-Weaver Award - University of North Carolina at Greensboro
    
  • The Jay Robinson Education Leadership Award - Public School Forum of North Carolina
    
  • North Carolina Citizen of the Year - Boy Scouts
    
  • Honorary Alumnus of East Carolina University
    
  • Educator's Hall of Fame at East Carolina University
    
  • Razor Walker Award - UNC Wilmington
    
  • Power of One Award - North Carolina Communities in Schools
    
  • Friends of Education awards - Professional Educators of North Carolina and the North Carolina Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development
    
    
• Pat McCrory
  • Catawba College - B.A., Political Science/Education, 1978
    
  • North Carolina State Governor, 2012
    
  • Mayor, City of Charlotte, 1995- 2009
    
  • Mayor Pro Tem, City of Charlotte, 1993-1995
    
  • Councilmember, City of Charlotte, 1989-1995
    
  • Member, Homeland Security Advisory Council, 2001-2006
    
  • Chair, Committee for the Environment, United States Conference of Mayors
    
  • Member, National Board, Afterschool Alliance
    
  • Founder/Former Chairman, North Carolina Metropolitan Coalition
    
  • Former President, Republican Mayors and Local Officials Organization
    
    
• Dr. Katherine Anne DeVitto O'Connor
  • Catawba College, B.A., 1994
    
  • University of North Carolina, Charlotte – M.Ed., 1999
    
  • University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill – Ed.D., 2003
    
  • Associate Dean and Director of the EC Scholars Program, East Carolina University
    
  • 2009-2010 UNC Board of Governors Distinguished Professor Teaching Award
    
  • 2009-2010 East Carolina University Scholar-Teacher Award
    
  • 2010 Edward C. Pomeroy Award for Outstanding Contributions to Teacher Education – member of editorial team receiving this award
    
  • Over 20 publications and 40 presentations at regional and national conferences
    
    
• Dr. Karen Dutson Wood
  • Catawba College, B.A., 1972
    
  • Appalachian State University, Educational Specialist's and Master's degrees in Reading Education (K-12)
    
  • University of Georgia, Ph. D. in Reading Education (K-12)
    
  • Professor, University of North Carolina, Charlotte
    
  • Former reading teacher, reading specialist and K-12 instructional coordinator in the public schools
    
  • Author of over 175 articles, chapters and books related to Education
    
  • Former co-editor of the journal Reading Research and Instruction
    
  • Member of the authorship team for the McGraw-Hill basal reader series since 1989
    
  • University of North Carolina at Charlotte's College of Education Excellence in Teaching Award (1995)
    
  • One of 3 finalists for the 1st Citizens Bank Scholars Award at UNC Charlotte (1999)
    
  • Finalist for the UNC Charlotte Bank of America Teaching Award (2000 & 2006)
    
  • Recipient of the Harshini de Silva Graduate Mentoring Award at UNC Charlotte (2007)

TEACHER OF THE YEAR AWARDS

• 2012-2013
  •  Meredith Knowles Abramson ('97 / '03 M.Ed.) - Rowan County Early College
    
    
• 2011-2012
  • Jennifer Lambert ('00 M.Ed.) – China Grove Elementary
    
  • Ashley Overcash ('07) – Granite Quarry Elementary
    
  • Christine Moore (M.Ed. student) – Hanford-Dole Elementary
    
  • Mary Horton McLaren ('04/'13 M.Ed.)– Landis Elementary
    
  • Melanie Ferguson ('78) Millbridge Elementary
    
  • Angela Ingraham ('07) – North Rowan Elementary
    
  • Tonya Jennings Smith ('89) – Elkin City Schools
    
    
• 2010-2011
  • Michael McConnell (M.Ed. student) – Hanford-Dole Elementary
    
  • Melissa Craig (M.Ed. student) – Isenberg Elementary
    
  • Star Atwell ('10 M.Ed.) – Millbridge Elementary
    
  • Gail Murph ('06) – Mount Ulla Elementary
    
  • Theresa Pierce ('10 M.Ed.) – Overton Elementary
    
  • Kacey Stephens ('05/M.Ed. student) – Woodleaf Elementary
    
  • Scott Burris ('02) – Enochville Elementary (runner-up)
    
  • Carrie Hood ('04) – North Rowan Elementary (runner-up)
    
  • Meredith Knowles Abramson ('97 / '03 M.Ed.) – Rowan County Early College (runner up)
    
  • Lisa Lentz ('08) – 2010-2011 Head Start Teacher of the Year
    
  • Natasha Sifford ('09) - 2010-2011 Head Start Teacher Assistant of the Year
    
    
• 2009-2010
  • Tonya Cress Kepley ('00) – Enochville Elementary School
    
  • Julie Alfieri ('96) – Koontz Elementary School
    
  • Kendall Corriher Fulham ('01) – Landis Elementary School
    
  • Danielle Scearce Webb ('06/'10 M.Ed.) – Mt. Ulla Elementary School
    
  • Pam Rutherford – '('09 M.Ed.) Overton Elementary School
    
  • Melanie Blount ('02 M.Ed.) – Woodleaf Elementary School
    
  • Diane Fisher Cauble Hill – ('90 M.Ed.) – Salisbury High School
    
  • Christine Beaver Blackwell – ('91) Southeast Middle School
    
    
• 2008-2009
  • Natasha Sherald ('08) – Salisbury Rowan Head Start Teacher of the Year
    
  • Glenda Weaver ('08) - North Carolina Head Start 2009 Teacher of the Year
    
  • Theresa Pierce ('10 M.Ed.)- 2009 N.C. Gilder Lehrman Preserve American History Teacher of the Year
    
  • Reba Deal Drennan ('71) – Isenberg Elementary
    
  • Jennifer Coble ('03 M.Ed.) – Hanford Dole Elementary
    
  • Jennifer Linn Nelson ('95) – Woodleaf Elementary
    
  • Sheryl Wyttenback Belk – ('77) – Mt. Ulla Elementary
    
  • Lynn Bradley ('97) – West Rowan Middle
    
  • Kathy Haynes ('03) – Erwin Middle
    
    
• 2007-2008
  • Jennifer Moore Carroll ('96) – St. James Elementary School & Lincoln County Schools
    
    
• 2006-2007
  • Emily Kozakiewicz ('06 M.Ed.)– Hanford Dole Elementary School
    
  • Tim Safrit ('95/'99 M.Ed.)– Corriher-Lipe Middle School
    
  • Stacey Rogers ('01/'07 M.Ed.)– Overton Elementary School & finalist for Rowan-Salisbury Schools
    
  • Lydia Bouk Richmond ('00) – West Rowan High School & finalist for Rowan-Salisbury Schools
    
    
• 2005-2006
  • Kendall Corriher Fulham ('01) – Knollwood Elementary & finalist for Rowan-Salisbury
    
  • Pam Brothers ('86) – Hurley Elementary School
    
  • Gayle Wilson ('80) – Overton Elementary School & finalist for Rowan-Salisbury
    
  • Mary Anne Goodman ('87) – Faith Elementary School
    
  • Dessie Vogler ('92) – North Rowan Elementary School
    
  • Ronda Goodnight White ('90) – Woodleaf Elementary School
    
  • Kathey Peeler Fisher ('81) – Morgan Elementary School
    
  • Beth Ann Yelvington ('97) – China Grove Elementary
    
  • Amy Roberts Shorter ('93) – Corriher Lipe Middle School
    
    
• 2004-2005
  • Kim Heberle Cooke ('94) – Walter Bickett Elementary & Union County Schools
    
  • Tonya Cress Kepley ('00) – China Grove Elementary & finalist for Rowan-Salisbury Schools
    
  • Katie Linker ('99 M.Ed.) – North Rowan Elementary & finalist for Rowan-Salisbury Schools
    
    
• 2003-2004
  • Patrick Winters ('97) – East Rowan High School & Rowan-Salisbury School System
    
  • Meredith Abramson ('97/'03 M.Ed.)  – Erwin Middle School/runner up for Rowan-Salisbury Schools

WACHOVIA PRINCIPAL OF THE YEAR AWARDS

• Rebecca Kepley-Lee ('86) – 2010 – Rowan-Salisbury Schools
• Don Bost ('77) – 2007 – Rowan-Salisbury Schools

OTHER AWARDS AND RECOGNITIONS

• Elizabeth Sloop ('11) Staff to Watch – November 2011 – Granite Quarry Elementary School