Charles Tucker Mathis

Thomas Spencer Sr. Award Recipient

 

Charles Tucker Mathis of Powder Springs, Georgia, has been named the 2026 recipient of South Plains College’s Thomas Spencer Sr. Award for Outstanding Achievement.

The award is presented annually to an outstanding student who demonstrates leadership and service to SPC and the community. The late Dr. Thomas Spencer Sr. played an important role in SPC’s formative years as its founding president. In conjunction with the College’s 40th anniversary, the Thomas Spencer Sr. Award was established in 1998.

Tucker, a graduating agriculture major who started at SPC in Fall 2023, said it has been an honor to serve at a junior college where it is easy to meet lifelong friends and colleagues. While at the College, he has served as Student Government Association president and a writing tutor and was inducted into the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society.

“You get out what you put into it,” he said. “Staying involved and being as connected to the student body, professors, and the administration is important.”

Before enrolling at SPC, Tucker served as an artilleryman in the U.S. Marine Corps and later worked in hospitality as a sommelier at Paces & Vine in Atlanta. Wanting to pursue hospitality at Texas Tech University, he knew SPC would prepare him for life at a larger institution.

“South Plains College has helped me do that,” Tucker said regarding the smooth transition into higher education. “South Plains College has provided a foundation for me academically and socially.”

In addition to laying the groundwork for a successful journey in higher education, SPC shifted Tucker’s focus to pursuing an Associate of Science in agriculture, tapping into his love for viticulture.

Dave Cleavinger, SPC professor of agriculture, helped Tucker understand the academic side of the new field he entered. Leah Chenault, assistant professor of math; math instructor Jacob Wyatt; government instructor Dr. Danie Vaughn; Christina Bearden-White, associate professor of history; and Student Life Coordinator Jamison Joiner are other SPC employees who were dedicated to helping Tucker and other students achieve their goals.

“The professors love their jobs,” Tucker said. “They are accommodating and supportive, and they want you to succeed.”

Hilary Nixon, assistant professor of communication studies and SPC’s adviser for SGA, was another faculty member who shaped Tucker as a leader.

Tucker was appointed student body parliamentarian of SGA in the spring of 2024 and worked to find every opportunity to serve students and address their concerns. His dedication to the student body prepared him for his roles as vice president and president of SGA and his service as parliamentarian (2024-25) and president (2025-26) of the Texas Junior College SGA Region I.

“I wanted to be involved, and I knew that I was going to be on campus,” he said. “I wanted to do what I could to serve my community and represent my fellow students.”

Tucker is the son of Chuck and Dr. Paige Mathis and is a graduate of McEachern High School. He will attend Texas Tech University to pursue a bachelor’s degree in agricultural education with a leadership concentration and a minor in legal studies. He is interested in obtaining a master’s degree in environmental science and attending law school someday.