Wytheville Community College (WCC) recently presented the Honorable Anne B. “Annie B” Crockett-Stark with an Honorary Associate’s Degree in Humane Letters.
Wytheville Community College (WCC) recently presented an Honorary Associate's Degree in Humane Letters to the Honorable Anne B. “Annie B” Crockett Stark. This is an honor bestowed upon an individual who has contributed significantly to the progress and development of WCC. Dr. Dean Sprinkle, WCC President, presented the award to Crockett-Stark at the May 11 commencement ceremony. In presenting the award, Sprinkle began by recognizing Crockett-Stark’s educational accomplishments, noting that she is an alumna of Wytheville Community College who has achieved significant success in her personal and public life. After completing numerous courses at WCC, Crockett-Stark transferred to Radford University where she earned a Bachelor’s degree in English in 1969. She later earned a Master’s degree in Community College Guidance in 1979 from Radford University.
Sprinkle went on to highlight how Crockett-Stark has contributed significantly to WCC in numerous ways. She was an adjunct English instructor from 1974 to 1980. She was later employed as a grant-funded counselor until she transitioned to a full-time role developing a counseling program for Wythe County Public Schools, where she worked for 32 years. She has served as a member of church, community, and civic organizations and raised funds for many charitable causes. She was one of the founding members of the Wythe Arts Council and Chautauqua Festival.
In 1978, she began to act on her interest in politics by becoming the first woman elected to the Wytheville Town Council, where she served until 1982. She also served on the Wythe County Board of Supervisors from 1999 through 2005 and was its chair in 2003. Crockett-Stark was elected to the Virginia House of Delegates as a representative for the 6th District in Southwest Virginia from 2006 to 2014. In this capacity, she was a strong advocate for state support for Virginia’s Community Colleges in general and for WCC in particular. She always welcomed WCC students when they visited the General Assembly and did an extraordinary job of explaining legislative processes to them.
Also, Crockett-Stark regularly attends WCC activities and events and has demonstrated support for the college financially through the WCC Educational Foundation. As a member of the Links Club, she helped lead efforts for that organization to establish a scholarship endowment through the Foundation to benefit WCC students. An advocate of higher education, Crockett-Stark continues to encourage students to attend WCC and pursue their educational goals. “The Honorable Anne B. Crockett-Stark is an extraordinary supporter of WCC and the entire community,” said Sprinkle. “The Honorary Degree Committee unanimously selected her to receive this year’s Honorary Degree in recognition of her dedicated leadership and commitment to WCC and the students that we serve.”
Pictured: (L to R) Dr. Vickie Ratliff, WCC Vice President of Instruction; the Honorable Anne B. Crockett-Stark; Dr. Dean Sprinkle, WCC President
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