SANFORD -- Austin Dowdy, of Sanford, is Central Carolina Community College's nominee for the Gov. Robert W. Scott Student Leadership Award.

This award, named for the former North Carolina governor who also served as president of the N.C Community College System, is designed to highlight outstanding curriculum student leadership and service.

Dowdy will graduate this spring from the Lee Early College program.

CCCC History Instructor Bianka Stumpf notes that he is on track to complete his high school diploma and Associate in Arts degree this spring -- at the age of 16.

"His enthusiasm for leading and learning is infectious, and his approachable nature in the classroom provides a great catalyst for our learning environment. The collegiate writing he produces is polished and insightful without fail. He maturely integrates prior knowledge from other courses and disciplines into his written responses," said Stumpf.

"While Austin contributes and enhances class discussions, I almost have been struck more not by what he reports but what he asks. He is naturally curious and engaged," said Stumpf.

Stumpf says that Dowdy is a natural leader that praises the personal talents, diversity, and contributions of other individuals. "In any group setting, he is an earnest contributor and leads with ease and flexibility," she said.

Leadership is one of the reasons that Dowdy sought the community college experience. "When I was in middle school and I heard about the opportunity to go to an Early College high school, I was really attracted to it mainly because of the small population of the school. It's more intimate. I feel like at smaller schools, there's more opportunities for leadership," said Dowdy.

Dowdy is especially proud of having played a major role in the founding of the Lee Early College Drama Club - and the production of two successful shows.

Dowdy says that his Early College experience has gone beyond his expectations. "At first, I thought I wasn't really sure if it was going to be for me, but I found out really fast that just the community - the teachers and staff and the students - all work together," he said. "It's a very intimate community and it really helps us as students."

Austin is the son of Stacy Dowdy of Sanford.

For more information on Central Carolina Community College, visit www.cccc.edu.