Lenoir Community College student Jazmyne Pearson of Kinston has been named Lenoir Community College’s Dallas Herring Award recipient for 2022. The Dallas Herring Award was established by the North Carolina Community College System to honor the late Dr. Dallas Herring, one of the state’s earliest advocates of community colleges. The award is bestowed annually upon a student who best embodies Dr. Herring’s philosophy of “taking people where they are and carrying them as far as they can go.” 

A single mother since 2018, Pearson left an abusive relationship with the father of her four children. She has four boys, ages 9, 7 year-old twins, and 3 and while that is a full-time job, she also works a full-time state job and goes to LCC full-time.

“Working around her children's schedule, dealing with their schoolwork, after-school activities, and doctor appointments are challenging tasks as she works to complete her own schoolwork, study, and manage her own personal health issues,” Dr. Maria Messner said in nominating Pearson for the award.

 Pearson was diagnosed with diabetes in 2014 following the delivery of the twins. She has been battling high blood sugar for a long time. She is trying hard to maintain her health while dealing with everyday parenting, but it has not been easy. She must go to the doctor every two weeks, and she takes insulin and other medication to control her diabetes. 

While she was pregnant, her youngest son was diagnosed with a double inlet left ventricle. Since then, her baby has been through three open-heart surgeries. His last surgery was in October of 2021, which was successful. During his hospitalization, she worked very hard to maintain her grades and continue being the best mother she could be to her other children. Since being discharged from the hospital, he has progressed well but must be on lifetime medication and see a cardiologist for the rest of his life. 

“My kids are what motivates me to keep striving,” Pearson said. “They're the reason why I am pushing so hard to work towards earning my nursing degree and become a registered nurse. I want my children to know that they might reach some bumps in the road, but they should never give up, and keep going to the finish line.”