Meridian Community College President Tom Huebner will receive the Shirley B. Gordon Award of Distinction from the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society at the society’s annual convention in Orlando, Florida, April 4-6.

PTK is the international academic honor society for community and junior college students, and the Shirley B. Gordon Award is PTK’s most prestigious award for community college presidents. It is named in honor of the late Dr. Shirley B. Gordon, the organization’s longest-serving board of directors chair and a founder and long-time president of Highline Community College in Washington.

To receive this top award, college presidents and CEOs must have served for at least five years to be eligible. Recipients are nominated by students on campus and are only eligible to receive the award once throughout their careers. A field of 604 college presidents is eligible to receive this award.

“I am honored by this recognition and will work very hard to live up to the expectations associated with such an honor. I am so proud of our PTK organization here at MCC and the students, faculty, and staff who work hard to make it successful,” Huebner said.

The award recognizes college presidents who support student success initiatives leading to stronger pathways to completion, transfer and employment. They have taken an active interest in supporting high-achieving students and developing student leaders on campus.

“These college presidents have made it a priority to support student success both inside and outside the classroom,” said Phi Theta Kappa President and CEO Lynn Tincher-Ladner. “This award is special because it comes directly from the students, and it is evidence of the gratitude they feel for the support for them and students like them.”

MCC PTK advisor Samantha Shelby said Huebner was an ideal candidate for the national recognition.

“This award is so well deserved. Dr. Huebner’s presence and involvement reverberate throughout our campus, making everyone feel important and heard. I applaud him for his excellent leadership and for setting the bar high for our students and faculty,” added Shelby, who is also a Health Information Technology Program instructor.

Huebner, approaching his sixth year as president of MCC, received PTK’s President’s Paragon Award. He’s also been recognized as one of Mississippi’s top CEOs by the Mississippi Business Journal.