Academic excellence and campus involvement earn GTCC student system’s highest honor

“Most importantly, I was inspired by the idea of being able to help other students step out of their comfort zone and find a place where they can explore their interests and passions,” said Nwameme.

When Crystabelle Nwameme enrolled at GTCC two years ago, she was laser-focused on her grades.

“When I first got here, my only goal was to maintain my grades. I’m really glad I stepped outside of the classroom,” said Nwameme.

She has done just that, immersing herself in the GTCC campus community while maintaining excellence in the classroom. For that balanced effort, she has been named GTCC’s 2026 North Carolina Community College System Academic Excellence Award winner.

It is the highest academic honor the system awards to its students. Each of the state’s 58 community colleges selects one student to receive the award annually. To be eligible, students must be currently enrolled, have completed at least 12 semester hours in a curriculum degree program, have a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher, and participate in GTCC activities outside of the classroom.

“It’s unbelievable to be nominated. I can’t believe I’m being recognized for making the most out of my time here,” said the 19-year-old Nwameme, who graduated from Southwest Guilford High School.

“I was really happy that someone was thinking of me when nominating me. It really means a lot and I’m very grateful,” said Nwameme who was nominated by Berri Cross, director of student life and activities.

“It is my honor to recommend Crystabelle for this award in recognition of her outstanding leadership, academic excellence (4.0 GPA), and campus involvement,” said Cross of her nomination of Nwameme. “As an associate in science major with aspirations to become a financial analyst, Crystabelle has consistently demonstrated analytical skill and intellectual curiosity through the GTCC honors program and global scholars’ initiatives.

“Her leadership as Student Government Association (SGA) vice president of clubs, her role in Model United Nations where she represented the college for the country of Indonesia in Atlanta with her fellow club members, and her service as social media manager for the African Student Association all demonstrate her strong commitment to collaboration and communication.”

The Student Government Association (SGA) was Nwameme’s biggest venture into campus engagement at GTCC and will serve as the 2026/2027 SGA President, which includes a seat on the GTCC Board of Trustees. It took encouragement from classmates—and the realization that she could impact the student experience—for her to run for both SGA positions.

“I would say that other student leaders have inspired me to run. Seeing others thrive in leadership definitely made me want to do so as well. Although I have had experiences being a leader, I knew that running for these positions would give me a chance to be more confident in my abilities and improve them as I go,” said Nwameme.

“Most importantly, I was inspired by the idea of being able to help other students step out of their comfort zone and find a place where they can explore their interests and passions.”

Nwameme said her diverse involvement is a product of the well‑rounded experience offered by GTCC.

“I love the resources that GTCC has for students,” she said. “There are many programs, opportunities, and organizations that people can join.

“I am part of the honors program here and I think it is a great opportunity for me to challenge myself in classes and learn a lot more than what I would in regular classes. I have the chance to make connections with other faculty and driven students, and I think that is really cool and rewarding.”

Nwameme plans on transferring to either University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill or the University of North Carolina at Charlotte upon graduation from GTCC in spring 2027 and eventually pursue a career in finance.