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Governor’s Medallion recipient en route to ODU for mechanical engineering

When Lauryn Thompson was in middle school, her load included introductory classes in Algebra and Spanish. So it was only natural that at Churchland High, she continued to accelerate by attending Tidewater Community College.

The 17-year-old will graduate from TCC in May with an Associate of Science in Social Sciences. Thompson will attend Old Dominion University this fall and study mechanical engineering.

Thompson is one of 13 students on the Portsmouth Campus who will receive the Governor’s Medallion, awarded to students who earn associate degrees or certificates while still in high school. TCC will award 30 Governor’s Medallions overall, the most in college history.

Thompson’s work ethic has carried her. In addition to her academic slate, Thompson logs as many as 50 hours a week in e-commerce at Kroger. Remote learning has been a challenge, but her work schedule forces her to organize her time wisely.

Thompson is used to juggling. Up until her junior year in high school, she competitively cheered at Churchland, so when she had practice and class back-to-back, she made the most of the time before and after.

“It takes discipline,” she said. “It might be easy to lay in bed all day, but I have to get up and get started.”

Mature even as a youngster, she persevered this last year while watching her father recover from a massive stroke. That left both parents not working, as her mother recently completed a master’s degree.

“There was a lot going on,” Thompson said. “Honestly, I had a very good childhood and I’ve been very privileged. I’ve never been through such a hard time. It was a lesson.”

Enjoying math, she chose mechanical engineering and was accepted into ODU’s honors program, which gave her a scholarship and stipend.

Thompson will be among the student speakers at TCC’s first-ever virtual commencement on May 11.

Her message? “You can do it.”

“When I tell people I’m graduating with my associate degree, they’ll say, ‘What? How?’ ‘When do you have time?’ ”

Thompson responds, “When you really want to do something, you do it. There were times where I wanted to give up, but then I realized that I’ve come too far. I realized that this is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. As I am nearing the end of this program, I realize that this is one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.”

2020 Governor’s Medallion recipients

Portsmouth Campus

Lauryn Thompson, Associate of Science in Social Sciences

Nichelle Ellis, Associate of Science in Social Sciences

Alyesia Watkins, Associate of Science in Science

Courtnie Bagby, Certificate of General Education

Rodney Barber, Certificate of General Education

Carter Canfield, Certificate of General Education

Ashley Hamlin, Certificate of General Education

Victoria Hayes, Certificate of General Education

Lily Madojemu, Certificate of General Education

Kayla Norman, Certificate of General Education

Jonathan Pierce, Certificate of General Education

Melanie Pineda, Certificate of General Education

Lisbeth Flores Aguilar, Certificate of General Education

Virginia Beach Campus (inaugural graduates of TCC’s  Entrepreneurship and Business Academy)

Claire Boyton, Associate of Science in Business Administration

Karmina Buensuceso, Associate of Science in Business Administration

Landon Elforsi, Associate of Science in Business Administration

Morgan Evans, Associate of Science in Business Administration

Leora Friedman, Associate of Science in Business Administration

Makayla Harvey, Associate of Science in Business Administration

Morgan Harwood, Associate of Science in Business Administration

Sam Kenslow, Associate of Science in Business Administration

Jane Ogenyi, Associate of Science in Business Administration

Sandra Onodu, Associate of Science in Business Administration

N’kosi-Sanai Poole, Associate of Science in Business Administration

Robert Smith, Associate of Science in Business Administration

Savannah Taylor, Associate of Science in Business Administration

Michelle Wilches, Associate of Science in Business Administration

Chesapeake Campus

Rocco Boyd, Certificate in General Education

Carly Pond, Certificate in General Education

Zoey England, Associate of Science in Social Sciences