NACCE presents its 2023 Lifetime Achievement Award to Chancellor Flora Tydings
The National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship (NACCE), the nation’s leading organization focused on promoting entrepreneurship through community colleges, has awarded Chancellor Flora Tydings of the College System of Tennessee its 2023 Lifetime Achievement Award.
“NACCE’s Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes inventive leadership and dedication to local communities and is presented to individuals who have played a pivotal role in the community,” said NACCE President and CEO Rebecca Corbin. “This year’s selection recognizes Chancellor Tydings’ leadership and dedication to entrepreneurship education, particularly in the state of Tennessee.”
Since she was appointed in 2016, Chancellor Tydings has unified the community and technical college system under the state’s “Focus on College and University Success” (FOCUS) Act of 2016, part of a statewide effort to increase the percentage of working-age Tennessee residents with a college degree or post-secondary certificate or credential to 55 percent by 2025. This recognition highlights the importance of education and leadership, and the positive impact community and technical education has on individuals and communities.
In addition to her contributions to higher education, Chancellor Tydings has served on various boards and committees, advocating for initiatives that promote economic development and education. Earlier this year, USA Today named Tydings one of its “Women of the Year,” in recognition of women who have made a significant impact in their communities and across the country.
The Lifetime Achievement Award was announced at NACCE’s annual conference in Nashville Monday, Oct. 30, attended by educators from 43 states.
Tennessee Board of Regents Vice Chair Emily J. Reynolds outlined the chancellor's accomplishments just prior to the award presentation by Dr. Corbin. "Education is in the DNA of Chancellor Flora Tydings... Her mission is building one of the best community and technical college systems in the country."
Tydings was formerly president of Chattanooga State Community College and Athens Technical College and served as interim president at both Central Georgia Technical College and Sandersville Technical College. She earned her Ed.D. at the University of Georgia, a master’s in education at Mercer University, and a bachelor of science in education at Georgia Southern University.
“I am deeply honored and grateful to NACCE and its members for this recognition, which I share with our Board of Regents, the presidents and faculty of our colleges, our system staff and the thousands of others on the front lines of educating our students,” Chancellor Tydings said. “Education is a high calling, and we are all privileged to work every day toward the success of students. I’m proud of this award because I know that NACCE and its members share that mission.”
About NACCE
The National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship (NACCE) is an organization of educators, administrators, presidents, and entrepreneurs focused on igniting entrepreneurship in their communities and campuses. NACCE has two main goals: to empower college leaders to approach the business of running a community college with an entrepreneurial mindset and to augment the community college's role in supporting job creation and entrepreneurs in their local ecosystems. NACCE represents nearly 2,000 members and approximately 3.3 million students. NACCE was founded on the campus of Springfield Technical Community College in Springfield, MA in 2002.
For more information, visit www.nacce.com.
The College System of Tennessee is the state’s largest public higher education system, with 13 community colleges, 24 colleges of applied technology and the online TN eCampus serving approximately 140,000 students. The system is governed by the Tennessee Board of Regents.