Ms. Shanique Chambers

The Adult Education department of Wallace Community College-Dothan (WCCD) is proud to announce that WCCD student Shanique Chambers has been selected as a recipient of the 2026 GED Scholarship Award from GED Testing Service, a prestigious national recognition honoring individuals who have demonstrated exceptional commitment, perseverance, and achievement in earning their GED credential.

As part of this honor, Chambers will be recognized at the GED Annual Conference in Atlanta, Georgia, where she has been invited to participate in the awards program and share her educational journey with conference attendees from across the country.

The award includes a $1,000 scholarship to support her post-secondary education, a new laptop, a gift card, and an all-expenses-paid trip to attend the conference.

Born in Kingston, Jamaica, and raised in St. Ann, Chambers moved to the United States in 2019 after her mother relocated several years earlier. Determined to build a better future through education, Chambers enrolled in WCCD’s Adult Education program shortly after arriving in Alabama. Her path to earning a GED was not without challenges. Transportation barriers, work responsibilities, and disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic led to several starts and stops over the years. Undeterred, Chambers returned to the program in 2024 and completed her GED.

Now a first-generation college student, Chambers is enrolled at WCCD and is completing prerequisite coursework with plans to enter the Surgical Technology program.

“I find it fascinating,” Chambers said of surgical technology. “Working in a hospital setting and seeing the surgery areas made me realize this is what I want to do.”

Working at Flowers Hospital gave Chambers the exposure to healthcare professionals that inspired her career goals. She credits Adult Education instructor Mrs. Marsha LeMacks for helping her reach the finish line.

“Mrs. LeMacks was very supportive and one of the best teachers I’ve ever had,” Chambers said. “She helped all of her students and encouraged us to keep going.”

Chambers said learning she had received the national scholarship came at a moment when she was questioning whether she could continue pursuing her educational goals.

“I was shocked,” she said of learning about the scholarship. “The night before, I was doing homework and feeling overwhelmed, wondering if I could really do this. I closed my laptop and went to bed. The next morning, I checked my email and found out I had won this national scholarship. I called my mom and said, ‘Yesterday I felt like giving up, and today I got an award!’”

She hopes her story will encourage others who may be facing obstacles in their own educational journeys.

“You have to keep going,” Chambers said. “It’s never too late to accomplish what you want to do in your life. I want to have a career and build a foundation for my future children.”

She also gives credit to her biggest supporter. “Everything I’m doing is not just for myself,” said Chambers. “It’s for my mom.”

Barbara Steger, WCCD Director of Adult Education, said Chambers’ recognition reflects both her personal accomplishments and the impact of adult education.

“This recognition reflects not only her personal determination and academic achievement but also the quality of support provided through our adult education program,” said Steger. “Ms. Chambers’ accomplishment is a testament to the transformative impact of adult education and the opportunities it creates for our students.”

“We are incredibly proud of her achievement and look forward to celebrating this milestone with her,” added Steger.