SCC’s Akin Ezzell Recognized as Nominee for Statewide Dallas Herring Achievement Award
WHITEVILLE, NC – Southeastern Community College (SCC) is proud to announce that Akin Ezzell has been named SCC’s 2026 nominee for the Dallas Herring Achievement Award, one of the North Carolina Community College System’s most distinguished honors.
Established in memory of Dr. Dallas Herring, the award recognizes students who embody his philosophy of “taking people where they are and carrying them as far as they can go.” Ezzell’s journey from the log woods to a career in the intensive care unit is a powerful example of that mission in action.
After graduating from South Columbus High School, Ezzell’s path was anything but linear. He first pursued pre-medicine at Campbell University before earning an Associate degree in Electrical Engineering Technology and working as an underground lineman in Raleigh. He later returned home, spending long days in the log woods, where he realized something was missing.
“After working in Raleigh for a little while doing underground line work, I didn’t really like that,” Ezzell explained. “But it was good money, like really good money. I was moving from hotel to hotel and not really focusing on my health and nutrition. I knew this wasn’t for me. Something is missing.”
Inspired by his mother, Belinda Mathews, a registered nurse and graduate of SCC’s nursing program, Ezzell found himself drawn back to the profession that had first inspired him as a child.
“My mother was a nurse, and I always looked up to her. I was close to her,” Ezzell said. “My dad wasn’t really around, and I was like, ‘I kind of want to be like her.’ I want to help people.”
One defining moment in Ezzell’s journey came when he walked into SCC directly from the log woods, still covered in mud and dirt, determined to build a better future. What he found was more than a program. He found a purpose.
By August 2023, Ezzell enrolled in SCC’s Associate Degree Nursing program and began the challenging work of transforming his life. The transition was not easy. He faced academic setbacks early on, but instead of giving up, he leaned into the support of classmates and faculty.
“With the hands-on real-world skills we learn, I think Southeastern nurses come out a little more prepared,” Ezzell said. “One thing you’ll find here is instructors who want you to succeed.”
Through long nights of studying, mentorship, and hands-on clinical experiences, Ezzell developed the confidence and critical thinking skills needed to thrive in nursing. During one clinical mentorship, he identified a patient in respiratory distress and alerted his supervising nurse, helping the patient receive immediate care. That moment affirmed that he was exactly where he was meant to be.
“Honestly, I didn’t think I could make it to where I am now, but I’m here,” Ezzell said. “It’s been a long road.”
His journey reflects resilience, perseverance, and the life-changing opportunities community colleges provide to students seeking a new beginning. For more information about SCC’s programs and how the college empowers students to achieve their goals, visit sccnc.edu.
