Two Long Time Employees Awarded with Northwest's President's Customer Service Award

by Sarah Smith

Senatobia, MS (08/26/2025) — Northwest Mississippi Community College's 2025 President's Customer Service Award recipients are Kim Steinman of Senatobia, staff recipient, and Celia Barham of Senatobia, faculty recipient.

This award celebrates the accomplishments and contributions of staff and faculty who go above and beyond for their fellow employees, students, and community members. Recipients of this award are nominated by Northwest staff and faculty who recognize all their hard work. The final decision is made by a committee who selects based on their merits and nominations.

Steinman, who started working at the college in 2003, quickly found her way around campus before landing in eLearning nearly 20 years ago where she's been working ever since, first as a receptionist before moving into bigger roles and now specializing in Canvas, the college's online learning platform. She has been honored in numerous ways for her contributions including Northwest's Employee of the Month.

"I was both surprised and deeply honored to receive this award, as it was something I never expected," said Steinman. "It is incredibly rewarding to know that my efforts are appreciated and recognized by my peers and the administration. I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to my former supervisor, Phyllis Johnson, for taking a chance on me all those years ago, and to Angel Nickens, dean of eLearning, for having the confidence in me to serve in my current role."

Barham, who started her teaching career at Northwest in 2022, helped establish the Surgical Technology program at the DeSoto campus. In 2013, she received her Associate of Applied Science in Surgical Technology, and then her career certificate for practical nursing in 2016. Barham said she's always loved Northwest because of its ability to be a "one-stop shop" for a variety of career paths. She said after graduating with her degree, she told her dad she knew she wanted to teach but it wasn't feasible as a brand-new grad, so she went to work as a surgical technician. Years later, the opportunity presented itself to her and she couldn't wait to take it.

Outside of work, Barham enjoys spending time with her five-year-old daughter, Jacie Jo, and her sisters, Whitney Nickels and Jodie Brownlee, who Barham said are her best friends. And she also enjoys making them try her new baked goods using her beloved sourdough starter, "Doughlene."

She said she always reminds her students by having it displayed on the whiteboard, Romans 8:28 which says, "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose."

To learn more about Northwest, please visit northwestms.edu.

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