Wallace State Foundation Laid Path to Lifelong Career for Alumna Melissa Stricklin

This is one in a series of stories celebrating Wallace State Community College alumni during Community College Month in April.

 

HANCEVILLE, Ala. — Melissa Stricklin knew she wanted to start her career as soon as possible, and that Wallace State was the best way to do that. 

“Wallace was close to home, and I knew it would provide a great foundation for a career path,” Stricklin said. 

Stricklin attended Wallace State from 1983-1985, and again in 2014. She majored in Business/Finance and earned her Business Technical Degree, AAS, and Business Finance degree. Her time at Wallace State allowed her to learn the fundamentals of business and feel confident going straight into the workforce after graduating. Stricklin said, “I am thankful every day that I learned business from entry level and was able to progress my career based on this foundation. It all started at Wallace!”

She immersed herself in any business club she could at the time and made lasting connections with her fellow classmates and professors. It was recommendations from these fellow Lions that helped her obtain her first post-grad job at Lanson Industries in the Human Resource Department. In 1988, she began working at General Dynamics and has been there for 38 years, beginning in Human Resources then moving to Contract and Program Management. After two promotions, Stricklin became the first female Business Segment Director for the Cullman General Dynamics facility.

Along with this honorable role, Stricklin also goes by wife and mother. “My real loves in life are my husband, Jeff Stricklin and my three amazing adult children: Paige Harbison Clabo (and her husband, Wes), Waid Harbison and Jordan Stricklin. Watching them maneuver their lives and progress their own careers and desires has been my greatest joy,” says Stricklin. 

Stricklin continues to support Wallace State by donating to scholarship programs and encouraging her own children to attend the college. She states, “Wallace was a great place to learn and achieve. I loved it so much that I continue to stay involved... I have had the pleasure of watching my children grow and learn at Wallace with many of the same takeaways for their adult careers that I enjoyed.”

Registration for the Summer 2026 and Fall 2026 is underway, with summer classes starting May 16 and fall classes starting Aug. 17. Visit www.wallacestate.edu for more information or call 256.352.8236 or email lioncentral@wallacestate.edu. 

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About the Wallace State Alumni Association

The WSCC Alumni Association serves more than 30,000 alumni and friends through membership benefits, professional development, and outreach opportunities. You do not have to be an alumnus to become a member of the Alumni Association. Please visit our website at https://www.wsccalumni.org/welcome.

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About Wallace State

Wallace State Community College (Ala.), a member of the Alabama Community College System, is a comprehensive community college in north central Alabama offering more than 200 options in academic, health and technical programs of study leading to an associate degree, certificate or transfer, as well as workforce-credit training and adult education. An Achieving the Dream Leader College, nationally recognized by the Aspen Institute as a Rising Star for the 2025 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence, ranked by Southern Business and Development among the Top 3 institutions in the South for workforce development, named a Center of Excellence by the National League for Nursing and the National Security Administration, rated the Top Online Community College in Alabama, a Military Friendly Institution and an All-Steinway School, Wallace State is an outstanding place for students to pursue their education and career goals. Classes are offered online and on campus, day, evening and on weekends, with numerous start dates each year. Visit Wallace State’s beautiful main campus located on 300-acres in Hanceville, Ala., our satellite location in downtown Oneonta, Ala., find us online at www.wallacestate.edu, or call 256.352.8000.