Wigginton to receive Shirley B. Gordon Award of Distinction
PASADENA, Texas – San Jacinto College Central Campus Provost, Van Wigginton, is one of 19 campus leaders to be recognized with the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society’s Shirley B. Gordon Award of Distinction at the upcoming PTK Catalyst annual convention in April.
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.
“I am honored to have been selected for this award,” said Wigginton, who began his career at San Jacinto College as a government professor in 1995. “I recognize its significance and sincerely appreciate the students who nominated me and those who selected me for the award.”
To be eligible for the award, college presidents and CEOs must have served in their role for at least five years. Recipients are nominated by students on their campus and are only eligible to receive the award once over the course of their career.
Wigginton is an enthusiastic supporter of all students. This is evident through his backing of student success initiatives that have led to stronger pathways to completion, transfer, and employment. He has taken an active interest in supporting high achieving students and developing student leaders on campus.
“Provost Wigginton is an example of the type of Provost that every community college needs,” said Sherilyn Reynolds, Phi Theta Kappa Mu Omicron Advisor at San Jacinto College. “He supports students with his time, effort and funds. He is a huge advocate for students being involved in Phi Theta Kappa and he stands alongside them in their effort to be all they can be at San Jacinto College.”
Wigginton holds a doctorate in jurisprudence from the University of Houston, and a master’s degree in public administration and a bachelor’s degree in government, both from Lamar University.
“These college leaders have made it a priority to support student success both inside and outside the classroom,” said Phi Theta Kappa President and CEO Dr. 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.”
About Phi Theta Kappa
Phi Theta Kappa is the premier honor society recognizing the academic achievement of students at associate degree-granting colleges and helping them to grow as scholars and leaders. The Society is made up of more than 3.8 million members and nearly 1,300 chapters in 11 countries, with approximately 240,000 active members in the nation’s colleges. Learn more at ptk.org.
About San Jacinto College
Surrounded by monuments of history, evolving industries, maritime enterprises of today, and the space age of tomorrow, San Jacinto College has served the people of East Harris County, Texas, since 1961. The College is one of the top 10 community colleges in the nation as designated by the Aspen Institute and was named an Achieving the Dream Leader College of Distinction in 2020. The College is a Hispanic-Serving Institution that spans five campuses, serving approximately 41,000 credit and non-credit students annually. It offers more than 200 degrees and certificates across eight major areas of study that put students on a path to transfer to four-year institutions or enter the workforce. The College is fiscally sound, holding bond ratings of AA and Aa2 by Standard & Poor’s and Moody’s.
For more information about San Jacinto College visit sanjac.edu.
