For the past quarter of a century, longer than most Brevard students have been alive, I have been a part of this college and community. I moved to the Brevard area in 2000 after working at St. Andrews Presbyterian College in the eastern part of the state for roughly fifteen years. Prior to my time there, I had been a Director of Christian Education in United Methodist and Presbyterian churches. Much of that
time was spent with middle school and high school youth.
My previous experiences equipped me with many different skills useful in my current position, Associate Dean for Student Success. I earned a B.A. in Religious Education from Centenary College of Louisiana and M.A. in Education from the University of Phoenix.
But prior to those academic degrees, my parents taught me by example the importance of seeing each person as an individual of worth regardless of background. My dad’s love for sports (and career as a minor league umpire) also became part of my life. I collected baseball cards and was usually picked first on the playground (of mostly boys) due to my skills in team sports. Strangely enough, my love of and knowledge of many sports has been a plus working with student athletes.
My faith is not something I talk about often, but more, I hope it is demonstrated by my actions and words. I grew up in the United Methodist church where professional staff, ministers, and church leaders saw in me a person that should work with youth. They plucked me from working in the local industry (following my flunking out of ETSU as an undergraduate: another story!) to become Director of Youth and Young Adults. This opportunity changed my life’s direction and led me down the path to where I am today.
The values of Brevard College resonate with what I valued at Centenary College as an undergraduate and at St. Andrews in my earlier career. Those values are ones I continue to hold high every day. While I’ve worn many hats through my 20+ years here, the one I love most is working one-on-one with students to carve their personal academic plan for success. This is where I have come to realize how differently each person learns.
Just as I try to help students succeed, I have been helped by those who saw my potential for making a difference in the lives of others. I owe much to Dr. Helen Gift, former Social Sciences Division Chair, and Dr. John Hardt, former Vice President of Academic Affairs, who believed in me and provided me the opportunity to develop my gifts and talents as a mentor and guide for students.
Brevard College has offered me the opportunity to work with colleagues, staff and faculty alike, to provide a caring environment—an environment that teaches students to take charge of their own learning and to be accountable for the consequences of their actions. Seeing my white hair and my obvious age, people sometimes ask when I am retiring. But as long as I can be a part of a community that makes a difference in helping students graduate, why should I want to retire?