Clifton Recognized As Outstanding Adjunct by VCCS

Thomas Nelson's Marion Clifton received the George B. Vaughan Leadership Award for Outstanding Adjunct Faculty at the 2022 Virginia's Community Colleges' (VCCS) New Horizons Conference. The April event featured presentations of various awards honoring community college educators from across the state for their exceptional skills and dedication to students.

The George B. Vaughan Leadership Award serves as a legacy of Dr. Vaughan's achievements and recognizes the approximately 4,600 VCCS adjunct faculty members who impact countless students statewide. Clifton, who will receive an honorarium as part of the prestigious honor, was one of two recipients this year along with Floyd Schwartz, a Northern Virginia Community College information technology instructor. The VCCS presents up to five of these awards each year based on a recommendation letter from the nominee's college president and other criteria such as demonstrated leadership excellence and evidence of teaching effectiveness.

"I am deeply honored to represent the many Thomas Nelson Community College's adjunct faculty members who are committed to sharing their professional expertise with students," said Clifton, who joined the College in 2011 as a Student Development instructor.

She began teaching as a professor in the College's Human Services department in 2018 and also contributes beyond the classroom with participation in committees and special task force groups. Among those are Governance, Social Justice, and Societal Change, and the Thomas Nelson Naming Task Force. She is also the first vice president of the Faculty Senate.

Clifton is a workforce development professional with federal career counselor certification and federal job search trainer certification. She earned a bachelor's degree in sociology/criminal justice from Old Dominion University and a master's degree in counseling from Hampton University. Clifton also completed the Harvard University School of Divinity Leadership Institute and is scheduled to complete doctoral studies at Trevecca Nazarene University in August 2022.

Additionally, she is a founding board member of the Menchville House, a home for women in transition, and serves as the COO of a community-based non-profit organization. The transformational and servant leader is passionate about organizational and fund development, including proposal writing. Clifton is also an avid poetry buff who on invitation has read her work at the national level.

Clifton, the mother of two adult daughters, lives in Hampton with her husband whom she met in middle school. They share the love of bookstores, weekly library dates, poetry and music.