The Distinguished Alumni Award recognizes former SCC students who have become leaders in their professions and give back to their communities.

We are always accepting nominations for the Distinguished Alumni Award.

LCDR Tina Marie Cox, 2012 Distinguished Alumni Award Recipient

“SCC definitely opens a door that otherwise might not be available for many to step through.”

LCDR Tina M. Cox, MSN, MSM, CNS-BC, RNC, of the U.S. Navy Nurse Corps, received SCC’s 2012 Distinguished Alumni Award.

The perinatal clinical nurse specialist from Highland Park, Ill. is the division officer for the immunization and administration clinics for recruit training at the Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center.

The award-winning navy nurse credits her husband and family for their support.

And her journey to success began with an associate degree from SCC.

At the time, she was a divorced, single mom in her 20s with four part-time jobs including one at a local 7-Eleven store. She realized that she couldn’t keep up the pace and wanted more for her family. Cox decided to pursue a nursing career like her mom, and enrolled in SCC’s nursing program.

“I couldn’t afford a four-year program, and the college provided me with a stair step to the bachelor’s degree required by the Navy,” Cox said.

She went on to earn a bachelor’s degree, joined the U.S. Navy, and eventually earned two masters degrees while serving. Her Navy career has taken her many places, including Kuwait and Okinawa, Japan. She is the recipient of a Navy Commendation Medal, three Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals and two National Defense Medals. She also co-published an article in the Journal of Nursing Education.

Past Distinguished Alumni Award Recipients

James Hall 2011	Jim Dreyer 2010	Jennifer White 2009
Terri Ingracia 2008	Dianna Graveman 2007	Karen Sieve 2006