NWCC's Paula Geeter Receives Sandy Grisham Excellence in Teaching Award
Senatobia, MS (08/22/2025) — Northwest Mississippi Community College DeSoto Center's Lead Practical Nursing Instructor Paula Geeter received the Sandy Grisham Excellence in Teaching Award at Northwest the college's Convocation held on Aug. 11 in the Heindl Center on the Senatobia campus.
This award is given to those who show outstanding excellence in their teaching and a dedication to the profession. This honor is the highest teaching award given at Northwest, and is meant to celebrate their hard work. The award is named after Sandy Grisham, who was a long-standing social science educator at the college. Previously this award was reserved for social science instructors only, but in the past few years has been open to all instructors at the college.
"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. "My parents taught me that you never know who is watching you, so act accordingly and give flowers to people while they are still alive. I remember my parents saying to be mindful of how my actions reflect on me as an individual. People judge us not just by what we say, but by how we carry ourselves in public. Acting accordingly isn't about performing a false version of yourself-it's about showing up as your best self, with awareness and respect for the moment."
Selfless in and out of the classroom, Geeter has a deep empathy for others as students and patients. She dedicates much of her time to taking care of her mother who suffers from dementia. She said that she enjoys time meditating alone and observing the world around her.
Geeter started teaching over 20 years ago, starting first in 2001 at the TCAT Memphis, and at that point she'd been a nurse for five years. She said she had a lot to learn at that point and was still learning all the ropes. She said even now, she's still learning as she's continuing her education by getting her doctorate in nursing practice with a concentration in nursing education at the University of Arkansas Jonesboro.
She found inspiration to become a nurse and an educator through life and her mentors, including Northwest DeSoto's Tamara Pittman-Johnson.
"I admire her tenacity in educating practical nursing students," Geeter said. "I am so thankful we crossed paths when I was working at Baptist Memorial Hospital - DeSoto many moons ago."
Learning from her past, she said she'd tell anyone considering nursing to embrace every moment in life, learn to be patient with yourself and others, and give grace to those around you including yourself. She said that she always strives to learn more, especially in the ever-changing health care system.
Geeter received a Bachelor of Science in natural science from LeMoyne-Owen College in Memphis in 1992, then attended the University of Tennessee Health Sciences College of Nursing in 1994 and received a Bachelor of Science in nursing within four semesters in 1996. Afterward she attended Central Michigan University where she got her Master of Science in administration with a concentration in human resource management. She earned her second master's degree in nursing administration from the University of Alabama Huntsville. In 2022, she received her Academic Clinical Nurse Educator Certification (CNEcl) through the National League of Nursing, which recognizes excellence in clinical nursing education within an academic setting.
To learn more about Northwest please visit, northwestms.edu.
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Northwest Mississippi Community College's (L-R) Dr. Michael Heindl, lead practical nursing Paula Geeter, and Vice President of Instruction Matthew Domas at Northwest Convocation on August 11. Photo by Carly Fox