Hannah Lassiter of Kinston understands what it means to be a leader. She came to Lenoir Community College in 2014 as part of the Lenoir County Early College High School program and began taking college classes in the spring of 2016. She continued her studies at LCC and was accepted in the Associate Degree Nursing Program, a rigorous academic journey. She plans to graduate with the Class of 2022.

While tackling the first year of nursing school, she served as the Student Government Association (SGA) President during a pandemic, balancing her studies with her obligations the SGA. She is a member of the Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society and serves as an ambassador of the National Society of High School Scholars.  As SGA president, she served on LCC Diversity Committee and Student Success Committee.  She is a Silver Award Girl Scout and has assisted with community enrichment events such as summer camp for Boys and Girls Club and in building a SAFE house for battered women and children.

She is a leader, exhibiting the qualities of dedication, dependability and honesty, both on campus and in the community. Because of these qualities, Lassiter was selected as LCC’s Governor Robert Scott Leadership Award recipient, one of the Great 58 in the North Carolina Community College System. 

The North Carolina Association of Community College Presidents created the Governor Robert Scott Leadership Award to highlight outstanding curriculum student leadership and service. Gov. Scott served as North Carolina’s chief executive from 1968-1972 and then was president of the North Carolina Community College System for 12 years from 1983-1995.

“To be a successful leader, I feel that you must first be an educated listener,” Lassiter said. “Before anyone can adequately serve others, it is essential that you listen to their needs and investigate the best way in which to provide leadership; no different than having a preferred learning style, not every cause or population you serve benefits from the same style of leadership.”

Lassiter said her leadership style is more of a collaborative and interdisciplinary approach. “I was raised to believe that there is always something new to learn, and that there will always be someone from whom you can learn.”

“To believe in and lead others while valuing a principle such as this has been incredibly humbling, and I feel strongly that I would not be the leader I am without practicing the ideology that teamwork yields the best results,” she said.

While Lassiter has participated in many community service activities, there is one that is near and dear to her, which is Band Against Bullying campaign that she, along with members of her former Girl Scout troop, created. She said, like many others, she experienced bullying at a young age. Band Against Bullying is a local campaign that worked to educate Kinston’s youths on the realities of bullying. 

“Partnering with the Boys & Girls Club of Lenoir County, my troop members and I spent the summer visiting our local chapter and hosted a campus that taught children ages 6 to 18 what bullying looks like and how to defend those experiencing it,” she said. 

“This camp highlighted bullying behavior, enforced ways in which to stand up to bullying, and managed to successfully educate kids on how to recognize why some people participate in bullying conduct,” she said. “Teaching children how to defend themselves and others in an appropriate manner was truly a gift, and it left me with such confidence knowing that my actions as a leader helped create a new generation of children in my city that will not tolerate the act of bullying.”