Jax State Faculty Honored at Etowah Chamber’s 2025 Excellence in Education Awards
05/15/2025
GADSDEN – Two Jacksonville State University faculty members were honored at the Etowah Chamber’s 2025 Excellence in Education ceremony, held May 8 at Gadsden State Community College. The event recognized top educators from across Northeast Alabama, drawing more than 300 attendees.
Dr. Ashley Turner, Assistant Professor of Teacher Education in the College of Education and Professional Studies, received the Excellence in Science Award for her work in science education through The Lab. in Teacher Education at Jax State. Her application was selected from a competitive pool of nominees and reviewed based on its educational impact and innovation.
Also representing Jax State, Dr. Christi Trucks, Associate Professor and Department Head for Career Technical Education and Professional Studies, was presented the Excellence in Career Tech Post Secondary Award for her leadership and dedication to preparing future educators through hands-on, career-focused learning experiences.
"The Etowah Chamber is deeply honored to give recognition to our community," said Philip Hall, President & CEO of the Etowah Chamber. Austin Tillison, Director of PR at Gadsden State Community College also added, "It’s a distinct honor for these recipients to be a part of a select group of people making an impact in education. This award ceremony helps set the standard of excellence for education in Northeast Alabama."
The Etowah Chamber's Excellence in Education awards recognize teachers of the year, national board-certified teachers, and several other categories in education annually. This is the eighth year the Etowah Chamber has hosted the event. The Etowah Chamber is dedicated to elevating local businesses in the area and recognizing and highlighting the truly amazing educators in our area.