Stacy Lightfoot is pictured with NACAC President Phil Trout
PEF Vice President of College and Career Success Stacy Lightfoot was presented with the 2016 Excellence in Education Award during the 72nd annual National Association for College Admission Counseling convention in Columbus, Oh. The award is given each year to an individual who has improved the field of education and/or the way students are served, according to officials.
Ms. Lightfoot was noted for being "a champion for underrepresented students.” Past recipients include First Lady Michelle Obama, U.S. Senator Tom Harkin, and U.S. Senator Patty Murray.
This is the second time Ms. Lightfoot has been recognized nationally in the last year. In 2015, Ms. Lightfoot was asked by U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander to testify before Congress about ways to help underserved students get into and graduate from college.
Ms. Lightfoot was nominated for the award by Susan McCarter, who serves locally as the director of College Guidance at Girls Preparatory School, and serves regionally as president of the Southern Association for College Admission Counseling.
Ms. McCarter said in her nomination letter, “SACAC nominated Stacy for this award because she has made a difference in the lives of hundreds and hundreds of Chattanooga students. She believes in their possibilities and their futures. She is a tireless supporter.”
"Over the course of her 16 year career, Ms. Lightfoot has positively impacted the lives of thousands of students. She’s led countless professional development opportunities for school counselors and college advisors to improve the success of Hamilton County public school students and graduates," officials said.
Before coming to PEF, she was the director of Outreach at the College Access Center, a college counselor at Brainerd High, Chattanooga High Center for Creative Arts and Howard High, and the director of Career Development at Girls, Inc. Coming from a low-income, single-parent home, Ms. Lightfoot said she understands the importance of education. She is a Hamilton County public school alumnus, graduating from Chattanooga School for the Arts and Sciences in 1995.
In her role at PEF, Ms. Lightfoot is the coordinator for PEF's Camp College program, an intensive college planning weekend retreat for first-generation and low-income students held on the campus of Sewanee: The University of the South. Additionally, she manages the Passport Scholars program, providing young women of promise with residential summer enrichment experiences across the country. 95% of students who participate in Camp College and Passport Scholars go on to college, a rate three times higher than their low-income peers.
“Stacy Lightfoot has transformed the lives of thousands of our community’s young people – helping them achieve their college dreams,” said PEF President Dan Challener. “PEF is tremendously proud to have Stacy on our team – and we are all tremendously fortunate that she lives in our community.”
"Ms. Lightfoot’s most recent focus is serving as program manager for STEP-UP Chattanooga, a paid summer internship program for public high school students. In addition to earning an income and developing career skills, students connect with area businesses which are eager to boost their workforce development pipeline with diverse talent from local schools," officials said.
“For the work I’ve done locally and regionally to be recognized on a national platform is truly humbling,” said Ms. Lightfoot. “PEF is proud to be part of a movement to improve post secondary access and success for all students.”
Ms. Lightfoot has been named a Chattanooga Woman of Distinction, received the Girls, Inc. Chattanooga "Unbought & Unbossed" Award, and the national "Counselors That Change Lives" award. She is a member of a number of networks and associations including the Tennessee College Access and Success Network, the Southern Association for College Admission Counseling, and the National College Access Network. Each year, she also helps organize the regional College Goal Tennessee conference at UTC to help high school students plan for college and complete their FAFSA applications to be eligible for federal financial aid.