Press ReleaseThe Washington State Community College (WSCC) Foundation honored Cody Meglio and Tyler Heddleston as the 2019 WSCC Distinguished Alumni during its annual banquet. The Distinguished Alumni awards are presented annually to graduates who exhibit the qualities of community and professional leadership that represent the mission and goals of the College.
“I’m delighted with the Foundation Board’s Distinguished Alumni selection this year. Both Cody & Tyler bring tremendous distinction to Washington State,” acknowledged WSCC President Dr. Vicky Wood. “We celebrate their successes as our successes because they speak to the value of the education they received here at WSCC.”
Cody Meglio was presented with the Outstanding Professional Achievement Award. Having graduated high school at 16, Meglio is no stranger to being recognized as the youngest professional to achieve many milestones. Among his accolades, at 19 he was the youngest Certified Public Accountant (CPA) in Virginia. In fact, he is one of the youngest people to earn an associate degree from WSCC, and notably, he is one of the youngest people the Foundation has ever recognized as a Distinguished Alumnus.
The Marietta native graduated summa cum laude from Washington State in 2007 with his Associate of Applied Business in Accounting Technology and an Associate of Arts Liberal Arts Transfer. In 2010, he graduated summa cum laude from Marietta College with a triple major in accounting, finance and economics and was class salutatorian.
Following the completion of his bachelor’s degrees, in 2011, he was awarded the prestigious Elijah Watt Sells Award from the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. This award is presented annually to candidates who have obtained the 10 highest cumulative scores on all four sections of the Uniform CPA Examination. Meglio launched his career at “Big Four” firm Ernst & Young in Charleston, West Virginia, where he served as a Senior Auditor. Today, he works for KPMG, another Big Four firm, based in its Houston, Texas office. At KPMG, Meglio is a Director in the firm’s Deal Advisory practice, where he helps Fortune 500 companies in the oil & gas, power & utilities, and waste industries integrate acquired businesses, spin-off or sell divisions, and access the capital markets.
In addition to the strides he’s made in his career, Meglio has also served on the WSCC Foundation Board since January 2013 and currently serves as its Secretary.
Tyler Heddleston was presented with the Outstanding Community Service Award. He graduated from WSCC magna cum laude with an Associate of Applied Science in Criminal Justice – Police Officer Basic Academy in 2007 and his Associate’s in Criminal Justice – Law Enforcement in 2008. For more than a decade, he has dedicated his life to law enforcement.
Bravely standing behind the badge, Heddleston daily puts the safety of the citizens of Belpre above his own and the police department, as well as his community, have recognized his dedication. Among his notable accolades are the Honorary Service Award that he has received twice for his assistance in arrests for an armed home invasion and an armed robbery. He was awarded the Officers Medal for his response during an apartment fire. In 2015, he was promoted from patrolman to sergeant.
Additionally, Heddleston serves as an instructor in the Ohio Peace Officer Basic Academy at WSCC.
In 2017 he was awarded Officer of the Year by Belpre Police Department with a Law Enforcement Commendation from the Sons of the American Revolution. Last year, he was awarded the Life Saving Medal and the Silver Medal of Merit for his bravery and duties performed during a house fire. Additionally, he is nationally certified as a drug recognition expert, one of only 215 in Ohio, and has been awarded the Drug Buster award. The numerous awards are a testament to Heddleston’s commitment to the safety of the community.
For more than 48 years, Washington State Community College has fueled the community’s future through education. We work to make a positive impact by providing opportunities for growth. Whether you are a recent high school graduate or an adult student looking to enrich your life, we cultivate pathways to guide you toward future growth. Be inspired. Be WSCC. For more information about Washington State Community College, visit www.wscc.edu or call 740.374.8716.