Three Honored with Outstanding Alumni Award
DSCC honored Lori Tubbs-Douglas of Humboldt, Joey Harrison of Newbern, and Dr. Lisa Piercey of Milan with the Outstanding Alumni Award Jan. 4 inside the Student Center on the Dyersburg campus.
Danny Walden, president of the DSCC Alumni Association, along with Mandy Fisher, director of continuing education and alumni affairs at DSCC, presented the awards in front of over 200 faculty and staff during the College’s annual spring update.
Tubbs-Douglas graduated from DSCC in 1986. She earned a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice and Sociology from the University of Tennessee at Martin. She holds a certification and license as an addiction counselor from the Board of Alcohol and Drug Abuse and is a Qualified Clinical Supervisor. She previously worked at Northwest Tennessee Correctional Complex from 1991to 1997, Pathways Behavioral Health Services from 2001 to 2005, and Carey Counseling Center from 2005 to 2009. In 2012, she opened the Alternative Choice Counseling Center for people battling mental health issues and substance abuse. She is a member of Tennessee Association of Drug Court Professionals, Tennessee Association of Alcohol, Drugs and Other Addiction Services, and the National Association for Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors. “DSCC felt like family,” stated Tubbs-Douglas. “The faculty inspired me to reach higher with encouragement and by believing in me. Dr. Bowyer cares about her students, while they are attending and years after they graduate.” She and her husband, Tony Douglas, reside in Humboldt and have one son, Patrick.
Harrison graduated from DSCC in 1998 and earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from the University of Memphis in 2003. He earned his master’s degree in education administration and supervision from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville and an education specialist degree in administration and supervision from William Woods University. Harrison’s career began in Gibson County as a teacher at Yorkville School and as an at-risk coordinator for the Gibson County Special School District from 2003 to 2007. He served as the principal for Medina Middle School and Spring Hill School from 2008 to 2017. He has served as the assistant principal at Fifth Consolidated School in Dyer County since 2017. Harrison serves as the president of the Newbern Cal Ripken Baseball League and as an official with the Tennessee Secondary Athletic Association. He has also received the honor of serving as a Core Coach for the Tennessee Department of Education. “Dyersburg State faculty and staff always puts the students first and are willing to help students make the best decisions for success,” stated Harrison. He and his wife, Jessica Harrison, reside in Newbern and have two children: Jenna and Jerrett.
Dr. Piercey attended DSCC from 1992-1995. She earned a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Lipscomb University in 1998, a Doctor of Medicine from the Quillen College of Medicine at East Tennessee State University in 2002, and a master’s degree in business administration from Bethel University in 2009. She served as chief resident of pediatrics at the Quillen College of Medicine at East Tennessee State University in 2005. She worked as a general pediatrician at the Jackson Clinic from 2005 to 2010, and director of the child maltreatment team at Monroe Carrell, Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt from 2007 to 2010. She is currently employed as a child abuse pediatrician and medical director at Madison County Child Advocacy Center and the executive vice president for West Tennessee Healthcare. She serves on the Joint Commission Critical Access Hospital Advisory Group, the American Hospital Association Small or Rural Hospital Governance Council, the Tennessee Department of Health Board for Licensing Health Care Facilities, the University of Memphis School of Public Health Master of Health Administration Advisory Board, the Tennessee Center for Health Workforce Development and the Tennessee Hospital Association. Most recently, Dr. Piercey was honored with the Jimmy Daniel Make-A-Difference Award from the WestStar Leadership Program in 2018, the Rural Healthcare Executive of the Year Award in 2017, and the Senior Healthcare Executive of the Year Award in 2016.
“Although dual enrollment programs were unheard of at the time, with permission from my high school principal, Dyersburg State allowed me to enroll in evening classes as a high school freshman,” stated Dr. Piercey. “When I graduated from Peabody High School in 1995, I had amassed 32 credit hours at Dyersburg State which transferred toward my Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry at Lipscomb University. Because of the benefit that Dyersburg State allowed me, I graduated from Lipscomb in three years and then entered medical school at age 20 as one of the youngest students to be admitted to the Quillen College of Medicine at East Tennessee State University.” Dr. Piercey and her husband, David Piercey, reside in Milan with their four children: Claire, Lauren, Ella and Luke.
Each year, DSCC presents the Outstanding Alumni Award to nominated individuals who have excelled in their field, given back to the community, and served as positive role models. Alumni interested in joining the DSCC Alumni Association should contact Mandy Fisher at 731-286-3265 or mfisher@dscc.edu.
###
Photo caption:
DSC_5650.jpg – DSCC honored three recipients with the Outstanding Alumni Award during its spring update Jan. 4. Shown here were (from left) Danny Walden, alumni association president, Dr. Karen Bowyer, president of DSCC, recipient Joey Harrison of Newbern, recipient Lori Tubbs-Douglas of Humboldt, recipient Dr. Lisa Piercey of Milan, and Mandy Fisher, director of continuing education and alumni affairs at DSCC.