Wake Tech student named recipient of 2023 Dallas Herring Achievement Award

Khadijah Scarborough, a graduate of Wake Technical Community College, has been named the recipient of the 2023 Dallas Herring Achievement Award by the North Carolina Community College System.  

The award was established by the System in 2010 to honor the late Dr. Dallas Herring, one of the state’s earliest champions of community colleges. It is awarded annually to a current or former student who best embodies Dr. Herring’s philosophy of “taking people where they are and carrying them as far as they can go.” 
 
Scarborough is a graduate of the Associate Degree Nursing program and was involved in Fostering Bright Futures, a student success program at Wake Tech that assists foster youth in transitioning from foster care to independent young adulthood.  

“Wake Tech and Fostering Bright Futures helped me to shape my purpose in life and to excel in my nursing studies. I wanted to be in the nursing program because I knew I was made for change,” she said. “Being a foster child was the most terrifying experience I have ever gone through. There were nights I was just terrified not knowing what was going to come next. Now I’m excited about what comes next.” 
 
Dr. Scott Ralls, President of Wake Tech, said he’s proud to be a part of a system that provides hope and opportunity for the Khadijah Scarborough’s of North Carolina. 
 
“Khadijah represents the best of what we’re about at community colleges – hope, opportunity, pathway to future opportunity through jobs and further education, but it’s also about the inspiration we see every day in our community colleges that are brought to us by the students like Khadijah who overcome adversity and challenges that we may not have imagined,” Ralls said. 
 
Scarborough plans to join John Hopkins Hospital as a psychiatric pediatric nurse. She ultimately hopes to earn her bachelor’s degree and then master’s degree to become a Family Nurse Practitioner. 

She graduated in December 2022.

“Now I get to be a woman living my dreams, having overcome a childhood trauma to now inspiring others that they can do it as well,” Scarborough said. 

Learn more about The Dallas Herring Achievement Award. Recipients are announced every spring semester.