— courtesy VGCC
VGCC Welding student receives top academic honor
Vance-Granville Community College has named student Andrew Lynam of Youngsville as its recipient of the North Carolina Community College System’s Academic Excellence Award for 2018. One student from each of the 58 colleges in the state system is honored with the award each year.
Lynam will be officially recognized at Commencement in May, when he is scheduled to graduate from the college with an Associate in Applied Science degree in Welding Technology, around the same time that he graduates from high school. Lynam is home-schooled and first enrolled at VGCC at age 16 through the Career & College Promise program.
“I find my motivation in my family and in my desire to achieve excellence,” Lynam said. “I have had the opportunity to grow through the hands-on instruction of my teachers, who have encouraged me to be my very best.” For the past three semesters, he has been named to the VGCC President’s List, an honor that recognizes students for achieving a perfect 4.0 grade-point average.
Andrew Lynam of Youngsville, seen here in the Welding shop on VGCC’s Main Campus, is the college’s recipient of the North Carolina Community College System Academic Excellence Award for 2018. (VGCC Photo)
“With my instructors’ encouragement, I have earned four different welding certifications, two for structural steel and two for sheet metal, boosting my chances of getting a job,” Lynam added. He also earned a Gold-level National Career Readiness Certification. After graduation, Lynam said he would like to work in the welding field, earn a bachelor’s degree and become a certified welding inspector. “My experience at Vance-Granville Community College has allowed me to successfully achieve my lifelong desire to work hands-on while still having job variety and unique experiences,” Lynam said.
“Andrew’s diligence and eagerness to learn have earned him a place among the most outstanding community college students in North Carolina,” said Dr. Stelfanie Williams, the president of VGCC. “We’re proud of his academic accomplishments at such a young age, and we’re pleased that our excellent faculty and staff have been able to support him to achieve professional success.”
–VGCC–
