Beaufort County Community College student Zachary Coltrain has been chosen to receive the Academic Excellence Award. He is one of 58 award-winners statewide who will be recognized at a ceremony in Raleigh on April 19.

Coltrain, 19, of Pinetown, is a student in BCCC’s welding technology program. He is the son of Todd and Amy Coltrain of Pinetown, He was homeschooled before enrolling at BCCC. He is employed as a fabricator at North State Steel Inc. in Greenville.

Coltrain has a 3.92 grade point average at BCCC. After graduating from BCCC, Coltrain plans to continue his welding education while continuing to work as a welder.

Coltrain said he chose BCCC because of his positive experience while taking classes at the college as a high school dual-enrollment student. He said he chose welding because he was in search of a program that would lead to a career that was “hands-on.”

“I did not originally have a community college degree in my education plans but after this experience, I would not trade the education I received at Beaufort County Community College for any other available,” he said.

The Academic Excellence Awards are offered annually to recognize and promote scholarship among the more than 750,000 students in the N.C. Community College System.

Nominations for the award are based on a grade point average of 3.5 or better and a student’s involvement on campus and in the community. Instructors within their academic divisions nominated the students.

“Zachary Coltrain enrolled in Beaufort County Community College because he knew he would find the resources he needed to put him on a path to success,” said college President David McLawhorn. “He had the guidance of talented instructors and the support of loving family and friends to encourage him toward excellence. BCCC is proud to present him with this award.”

“I want to thank my college instructors and family for their support and help,” Coltrain said. “Students need teachers and I could not have done it without mine.”

Coltrain was nominated for the award by Ted Clayton, lead welding instructor at BCCC.

“Zachary has made great progress in his studies and has an excellent attendance record,” Clayton wrote in his nomination letter for Coltrain. “He shows a positive attitude and is respected by other instructors as well as his peers. Zachary’s talent and work ethic make him one of the best students in my program.”