SPARTANBURG, SC – Three individuals recently have been recognized by the Spartanburg Methodist College Paralegal Certificate Program for their contributions and performance in the program in 2008. 

Assistant 7th Circuit solicitor Tony Leibert, an instructor in the Paralegal Program, received the 2008 Instructor of the Year Award. He was the recipient of the program’s award in 2007 also. 

“Tony has consistently challenged our students to reach within to be the very best. He is brilliant in the courtroom and phenomenal in the classroom. We are blessed to have him associated with the program,” says Yvonne Harper, director of the SMC Paralegal Certificate Program. 

Leibert has worked in the solicitor’s office for 13 years. Prior to that, he served for two years as a staff attorney with the S.C. Department of Social Services. Leibert recently received the 2008 Ernest F. Hollings Award for Excellence in Prosecution from the United States Attorney’s Office. 

He has served as an instructor for the Paralegal Program for three years, having taught various courses including Legal Ethics, Family Law, Social Security, Juvenile Law, Criminal Law and Cybercrime. 

The Liz Patterson Student of the Year award was presented to Amy San Thyen. Thyen, a paralegal with the Smith Haskell Law Firm, previously worked at WSPA-TV as a director and producer for 13 years. Thyen secured her position as a paralegal with the Smith Haskell Law Firm shortly after enrolling in the SMC program. 

“Amy has the ideal qualities lawyers are looking for – she is creative, thrives under pressure, has good organizational skills, knows the value of teamwork, determination, and above all, attention to detail,” says Harper. 

Jalitha Moore, of Spartanburg, was named Class Representative and will serve as the student speaker at the program’s upcoming graduation. 

Since joining the program, Moore has become a paralegal/victim’s advocate in the South Carolina 7th Circuit Solicitor’s Office. She has a Bachelor’s of Arts in Political Science from Winthrop University. Moore was also the 2008 recipient of the Norma F. George PLS Scholarship Award. 

The 2008 graduation services for the Paralegal Program will be held on Sunday, Nov. 23, at 3:30 pm in the Davis Mission Chapel at SMC. The keynote speaker will be Rita Allison, director of communications for the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education and an unopposed candidate for the South Carolina House District 36 seat. 

For more information on the SMC paralegal program, please contact Yvonne Harper, director of the program, at harpery@smcsc.edu or 587-4278. 

Spartanburg Methodist College is in its 98th year of providing quality education to students in a Christian environment. More than 90 percent of SMC graduates continue their education at other institutions of higher learning. 

For more information, contact Brian Fulkerson, director of public information, at (864) 587-4254. 

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