News

BRCC's AI specialist wins NC Excellence in Teaching Award

Tonya Stephens with a robot in the IT lab at Blue Ridge Community College's Henderson County campus. ([PHOTO BY RICH KEEN]

By BENJAMIN RICKERT, BRCC Communications Director, Published: April 16, 2026

For more than two decades, information technology instructor Tonya Stephens has helped students discover and reach their full potential. This spring, that work earned statewide recognition.

Stephens, a faculty member at North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Community College, received the 2026 Excellence in Teaching Award this week from the North Carolina Community College System, one of the system’s highest faculty honors recognizing exceptional instruction and significant contributions to student success. She accepted the award April 15 during a special event in Raleigh.

For Stephens, teaching is about empowering others.

“For 25 years, I’ve had the privilege of watching students discover what they’re capable of, often for the very first time,” she said during her acceptance speech. “There’s a moment when something clicks, and you can see it. Confidence replaces doubt, and suddenly, what once felt impossible feels within reach. That’s what makes this work so meaningful. Because when we empower our students, we don’t just change their future. We change what’s possible.”

Stephens’s teaching career emphasizes networking, cybersecurity, and, more recently, artificial intelligence. Her background as a network engineer informs her instruction, ensuring students train in environments that mirror current industry standards.

At Blue Ridge, she has led the expansion of programs aligned with emerging workforce needs, including development of one of the region’s first artificial intelligence pathways. The program graduated its inaugural cohort in August 2025, positioning the college as a regional leader in applied AI instruction.

“Tonya Stephens’ selection for the Excellence in Teaching Award is a proud moment for all of us at Blue Ridge Community College,” Blue Ridge President Laura B. Leatherwood said. “Her work exemplifies what great teaching should be: rigorous, relevant, and deeply connected to student success.”

In the classroom, Stephens emphasizes hands-on, career-focused learning. Students engage in applied problem-solving, prepare for industry-recognized certifications—such as those from Cisco and Red Hat—and compete in events like the National Cyber League and National Centers of Academic Excellence Cybergames. Under her guidance, students have earned national recognition while building skills needed for high-demand technology careers.

Beyond the classroom, she fosters innovation and connection through the college’s Holiday Hackathon, Maker’s Lab workshops, and the Hive technology club. She also champions opportunity in the technology field for women, leading efforts through programs like Women RockIT and Girls in Information and Communication Technologies Day.

College leaders say Stephens’ approach reflects Blue Ridge’s mission to transform lives through the power of learning. Her blend of academic rigor and mentorship supports not only technical achievement, but also confidence, persistence, and professional growth.

“Through her leadership in areas like cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and other emerging technologies, Tonya ensures Blue Ridge students are not only learning, but graduating prepared to excel and lead in today’s workforce,” Leatherwood said. “Having faculty of her caliber elevates our entire institution and reinforces the impact we strive to make in our community every day. We are grateful to the North Carolina Community College System for recognizing her outstanding contributions to higher education.”

Across the United States, employment in computer and information technology occupations is projected to grow significantly faster than most other fields over the next decade, with more than 317,000 job openings each year. Meeting that demand depends in large part on community colleges and the educators who prepare a significant share of the workforce entering these fields—work that Stephens advances by equipping graduates with in-demand technical skills, industry credentials and real-world experience.

In late 2025, NCCCS named Stephens a finalist for the Excellence in Teaching Award, and her students had high hopes. One student, Megan, wrote to her and said, “No matter what they decide, you're Teacher of the Year for every year, in my heart.”

“Receiving this award is both humbling and inspiring,” Stephens said. “This recognition reflects the incredible students, colleagues, mentors, and industry partners, along with the support of Blue Ridge and the North Carolina Community College System, who remind me, daily, what service and education can achieve.”