Northwest Mississippi Community College’s Paula Geeter Receives Top Teaching Award

SENATOBIA, Miss. – Paula Geeter, lead practical nursing instructor at Northwest Mississippi Community College’s DeSoto Center, has been awarded the Sandy Grisham Excellence in Teaching Award, the highest faculty honor at the college.

Geeter received the award during a recent Northwest convocation on Aug. 11 at the Heindl Center in Senatobia. The recognition honors instructors who show outstanding teaching skills and commitment to students. Named after longtime social science professor Sandy Grisham, the award was once reserved for social science faculty but is now open to all instructors.

“This was truly an honor, and I want to show my appreciation to my Northwest family for recognizing my work and honoring my dedication to nursing education,” Geeter said.

Geeter has taught for more than 20 years, beginning her career at TCAT Memphis in 2001 after five years as a nurse. She is now pursuing a doctorate in nursing practice with a focus on nursing education at the University of Arkansas–Jonesboro.

Known for her compassion in and out of the classroom, Geeter also cares for her mother, who suffers from dementia. She said she encourages students to be patient with themselves, embrace each learning opportunity, and continue adapting to the ever-changing health care system.

Her academic background includes a bachelor’s degree in natural science from LeMoyne-Owen College, a nursing degree from the University of Tennessee Health Sciences College of Nursing, and two master’s degrees from Central Michigan University and the University of Alabama–Huntsville. In 2022, she also earned the Academic Clinical Nurse Educator Certification (CNEcl) through the National League of Nursing.

Geeter said she draws inspiration from mentors like Tamara Pittman-Johnson of Northwest DeSoto and hopes to do the same for her students.