Phi Theta Kappa Grants TCC President Dr. Ivan Harrell the Shirley B. Gordon Award of Distinction
Community and Technical College Honor Society Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) has granted TCC President Ivan L. Harrell II, Ph.D., the Shirley B. Gordon Award of Distinction, PTK’s highest honor for community college presidents. Dr. Harrell will be presented with the award when he attends PTK Catalyst, the organization’s annual international convention, in Maryland in late March.
Named for PTK’s longest-serving Board Chair, the award honors presidents who have served in role for at least five years and have demonstrated sustained, exceptional commitment to student success through academic excellence, leadership development, and access to opportunity. Nominees are selected based on nominations submitted by Phi Theta Kappa students on their campuses.
A PTK press release states that since becoming president of TCC in 2018, Dr. Harrell has been recognized for a leadership style rooted in accessibility, steadiness, and trust. Students describe a president whose door is open, whose expectations are clear, and whose engagement reflects a genuine belief in students’ ability to lead through moments of growth and transition.
“Dr. Harrell exemplifies the leadership this award was created to honor,” said Dr. Lynn Tincher-Ladner,” President and CEO of Phi Theta Kappa. “He leads with openness, clarity, and a deep respect for students as partners in the work of the institution. This recognition reflects the trust students place in a president who walks alongside them.”
According to PTK, students pointed to Dr. Harrell’s consistency as a defining feature of his leadership, noting that he stays engaged during periods of change, offers guidance when challenges arise, and reinforces stability when students and campus leaders are navigating new roles or expectations.
“I’m honored to be this year’s Shirley B. Gordon Award of Distinction recipient,” Dr. Harrell said. “PTK is an organization that both serves as a great resource for students and raises awareness of community college student excellence within the larger community, which makes this recognition especially meaningful.”