Pellissippi State Community College celebrated student support and alumni achievement at the Pellissippi Strong Luncheon in April.
The event, hosted by the Pellissippi State Foundation at the Hilton Knoxville Airport, brought together over 400 members of the campus community, industry partners, elected officials, and stakeholders to spotlight past and present students. All proceeds from the luncheon directly support students on their academic and career journeys at Pellissippi.
“Through well-defined academic pathways, robust work-based learning opportunities and holistic student support, Pellissippi State equips students to build meaningful careers, serve others and give back in ways that strengthen our entire community,” said Pellissippi President L. Anthony Wise Jr.
A large proportion of Pellissippi’s nearly 100,000 alumni stay local after graduation and contribute to industries like healthcare, manufacturing, engineering, and more, Wise said.
One such alumna is Carrie Poteat, class of 2013 and a relator with Realty Executives Associates, who at the luncheon received the Peggy Wilson Volunteer Alumni Award, sponsored by Clayton, for her extraordinary service to the college and community.
Alumna Angel Wright-Lanier, class of 1993, was also honored at the luncheon with the 2026 Distinguished Alumni Award, which recognizes significant professional achievement and community service in support of the college and Pellissippi State Foundation.
Wright-Lanier, assistant city manager for Winston-Salem, N.C., said her story – one of multiple advanced degrees and a 25-year career across local government, nonprofits, and the private sector – would look very different without Pellissippi.
The luncheon focused on the theme of students starting, staying and finishing strong in their time at Pellissippi.
Student speaker Melissa Whitney, a Criminal Justice major, shared how the college enabled her to do all three.
Whitney was on her way to being the first in her family to graduate with a degree in 2007, when she was diagnosed with a rare autoimmune disease that prevented her from finishing college or pursuing a career. She focused entirely on surviving and raising her son until about two years ago, when a medical breakthrough allowed her to live almost pain-free.
She knew immediately she wanted to go back to school, and at Pellissippi, she found faculty and resources to support her return to the classroom and the rigor of coursework, especially as she continued to suffer extreme fatigue and memory issues as a result of years of treatment.
Scholarships allowed Whitney to afford textbooks, a laptop and professional clothing for her internship at the Knoxville Family Justice Center, where she coordinates care for survivors of domestic violence.
“Thank you so much for investing in me and for believing that a student with a debilitating medical history is still worth a seat at the table,” she told audience members Tuesday. “You didn’t just fund a scholarship. You restored my journey and helped me to prove that I’m stronger than my diagnosis.”
“In two-and-a-half weeks, I will finally walk across that stage as the first in my family to earn a college degree,” she continued. “I get to show my son that no matter what challenges your body or mind may face, you never give up until the job is done. You all gave me my future back … and I can’t thank you enough.”
Pellissippi State Community College is a public community college based in Knox and Blount counties in Tennessee and operated by the Tennessee Board of Regents. The college operates four campuses: Hardin Valley, Blount County, Strawberry Plains and Magnolia Avenue.
