Alpha Sigma Lambda Honor Society is proud to announce Penny Gaskins has been reappointed as our organization’s new national president for the 2024 term.

Penny was born in Thomasville, Georgia, March 29,1961. After completing high school, she enrolled at Thomas County Community College, now Thomas University. Penny, left School after getting married to a Navy Seaman. She has lived in Pearl Harbor, HW., Jacksonville, FL. and Kings Bay, GA.

Highlights – Penny started her own business in the floral and catering world. She planned upscale weddings and traveled throughout three states conducting weddings and special events. Her floral designs and weddings have been featured in noted publications such as Knott’s Weddings, Southern Living, Southern Weddings, & The Thomasville Scene. She was also a featured decorator for a local city event ‘Show Case Christmas Decorations in the South.’

Education – When aging family members began to need her, she closed her business to care for her parents and uncle. Visiting the veteran’s hospitals and clinics with her father and uncle. She felt her calling to go back to school in order to make a difference in the lives of veterans. After 35 years, Penny returned to school. Penny refers to this return as “coming home. She chose to come back to Thomas University and to complete the educational goal she first set out to do. At 54 years of age she worked hard and completed her Associates degree requirements, and at this time she was inducted into the Phi Lambda Chapter of Alpha Sigma Lambda Honor Society. That gave her the encouragement to continue on to receive her Bachelor’s degree in Rehabilitation Studies in Addictions in the Fall of 2017.

Awards and Decorations- Penny graduated with Latin Honors – Magna Cum Laude. She was inducted into Alpha Chi Honor Society Fall 2017, served as member and president of the Honor Council for 3 years, received the Gale Whitehurst Pioneer Award for work in leadership, work with the veterans and the Salute Honor Society.

She received the Outstanding Graduate in the Division of Counseling and Psychology. She was inducted into Chi Sigma Iota Honor Society for Counseling Graduate students.

At Thomas University she found her love for higher education, Veterans and helping those like her returning to school. She began as an admissions representative working with nontraditional students and encouraging them to return to school. “It is Never too late” was her motto.

After two years she began in her current position in the Registrar’s office. She finds this job to be very rewarding and fulfilling. She still continues to encourage nontraditional students and veterans. She was appointed as the Alpha Sigma Lambda Honor Society Counselor by the Vice President of Academic Affairs. She took this appointment to not only serve the Honor Society but to reach out and encourage the adults, that like her, chose to come back to school. At this time, she is working with 100+ nontraditional students who have returned to school. In 2020 Penny was elected by her peers to the national board of the Alpha Sigma Lambda Honor society where she served as Vice President for the term 2020-2022. She is currently serving as President of the national board of the Alpha Sigma Lambda Honor Society

Penny completed her Master’s Degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling in the Summer 2020. After her day ended in the Registrar’s office, she completed her internship in the Career Center helping students young and old with career choices.

Penny serves as a certified Investigator and hearing panelist for TITLE IX Compliance, Serves on the planning committee for Georgia Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (GACRAO)
Completed the SOAR TO SUCCESS Leadership Management Course.

When Penny is not found on Thomas University Campus, she can be found working with her pigmy goats, sheep and llamas. She currently resides at her farm in Atkinson County. She has four children and three grandchildren.

We look forward to growing and serving this organization in the coming years under Penny’s leadership!

Learn more about the Alpha Sigma Lambda Honor Society leadership team here.