SCC Student Recognition RAT - Retention Action Team, Sylva, NC (2026)

04/15/2019

Madeline Harverson
Associates in Science, May 2019

Who is a personal role model for you? Why?
One of my role models is Tori Addington-Ellison, my success coach. Tori is always so helpful and welcoming towards everybody and has always been there for me. She has answered every question I've come to her with and put all my worries at ease with a smile on her face. She was always willing to sit down with me and make sure I had everything I needed, which makes my education journey ten times easier. I don't know where I'd be without her — she is a truly amazing person.

What motivates you to excel at SCC in spite of difficult circumstances you may face?
The most important thing that helps me excel, even in tough times is that I'm doing this for me so I can have a better life and more opportunities for my future. I remind myself every day that no matter how long it takes you to do something, you just have to push through with your head held high and don't let anybody tell you you can't do, because you can do whatever you set your mind to.

What advice would you give to other students who face tough challenges?
Advice I would give to fellow students is to go at your own pace and nobody else's. You know what you can do, and what your capable of, and your success has its own timeline. Don't give up because you feel like your not where you're supposed to be in relation to everybody else. I've spent the last three years getting my AS and have seen many of my peers graduate and move on, and it has been tough. Although it was tough, I looked at what I was doing and where I was going and realized its right where I'm supposed to be, and that's okay. So to anybody that would listen I would say, look at everything as a victory and nothing as a loss, but as a change in direction to achieve the same goal.

04/08/2019

Susan Burrell
Respiratory Therapy, May 2019
Who is a personal role model for you? Why?
My role model has been and always will be my mother. She has always supported me and helped me in any way possible and without her encouragement, at times, my journey would have come to an end.
What motivates you to excel at SCC in spite of difficult circumstances you may face?
My children motivate me to excel. I want to be the best role model I can be for them so that they will see education is very important and by working hard they to can succeed.
What advice would you give to other students who face tough challenges?
The advice I would give to others facing challenges would be to never quit trying and ask family, friends, professors, etc for help. They will all help them to succeed.

04/01/2019

Wesley Walker
Computer Science, May 2023

Who is a personal role model for you? Why?
My parents are my role models. I have always tried to be a hard worker like my dad, and my mom has inspired me to strive for academic excellence.

What motivates you to excel at SCC in spite of difficult circumstances you may face?
My love of learning and technology is what inspires me to continue in spite of difficult circumstances. When things get tough I think about how much my education is going to benefit me in the future.

What advice would you give to other students who face tough challenges?
My advice to other students is to stick with it and hang in there. School only lasts for a few years, but your education will benefit you for your entire life.

03/25/2019

Bekah Schosser
Associate of Arts, College Transfer (Career and College Promise), May 2019
Who is a personal role model for you? Why?
My role models are Ms. Amy Eilers. She helped me through my math class and she helped me in believing in myself and my abilities. That I can do whatever I put my mind to. My volleyball coach, Jordan Page, who helped me become stronger mentally and physically. She showed me how to push myself and find the balance in everyday life.
What motivates you to excel at SCC in spite of difficult circumstances you may face?

What motivates me to excel at SCC is the teachers I've had through my enrollment. They encouraged me and pushed me enough that I didn't want to give up because I had come too far to quite there.

What advice would you give to other students who face tough challenges?
Some things never happen the same way twice. Don't try to copy someone else's story. Try everything and make your own story that you are proud to show everyone.

03/04/2019

Kaitlyn Putnam, May 2020
I am currently enrolled in the Carolina transfer excellence program. In this program, you must follow certain guidelines and then continue your education by transferring to UNC Chapel Hill after obtaining a college transfer degree. I am still deciding what my major will be but I am definitely doing something healthcare related.

Who is a personal role model for you? Why?
My mom is one of my biggest role models. She is always doing something to higher her education. While working two different jobs she is getting her doctorate of nursing practice. I will come downstairs around 2 or 3 a.m. to grab a water and she will be up doing homework all night long. My mother is an inspiration for everybody. I have never seen someone so dedicated to working hard and helping people. My mom has helped so many different ways when it comes to my education. She constantly asks how my classes are going and always offers to help on anything. My mom encourages me every day to never be outworked and always try my absolute best. She has helped me cope with my anxiety since about 5th grade. My mom means the whole world to me and I would not be near the same person I am today without her.

What motivates you to excel at SCC in spite of difficult circumstances you may face?
My motivation comes from many different places but I would say my traveling abroad has a major impact. I have been blessed with the opportunity to travel to a few developing countries. I learned many different things while I was gone. I began to feel very lucky to live in the United States of America. I believe we are blessed with the opportunity to legally go to school and get a higher education. I feel motivated because America is a country that has access to education and is a leader to other countries. I believe that simply by being born in the United States, I have been afforded opportunities that are unheard of in most of the rest of the world. I am motivated because I get to create a unique path to a successful life where I can choose exactly what I want to do.

What advice would you give to other students who face tough challenges?
I have been on the struggle bus many times. I would say that if you truly work hard enough and give it your all, good things will come. I believe people begin to struggle when they are mentally exhausted. Never forget that school is very tough and it is okay to take a day off to reset your mind. Mental health is everything.

02/25/2019

Dawn McCall
Paralegal, May 2019
Who is a personal role model for you? Why?
It would be unfair for me to only name one person when there has been three people whom I feel equally deserve credit – Pamela Smith, Timothy Coffey and William J. Cathey. Both Pam and Tim have given me the tools and education needed to succeed in
the career I have chosen, and Mr. Cathey gave me the very generous opportunity to use those tools and education during my internship with him. But Mr. Cathey did something for me that most people don’t get to experience in an internship, and that is, he expected me to have the knowledge to perform the tasks he gave me, and if not, then to search out the information I needed to complete tasks. And were it not for Pam and Tim, I would not have had the knowledge, or known how to locate the information I needed. And because of what Pam and Tim have given me, and Mr. Cathey’s confidence in my skills, I now work for Mr. Cathey as a legal assistant.

What motivates you to excel at SCC in spite of difficult circumstances you may face?
The people who have faith in my ability to do this; my son, Pam Smith and Tim Coffey. If I fail, I don’t just let myself down, but I let down those people who believe in me and my ability to succeed. They have invested their time in me, and I refuse to allow that time to be a bad investment on their part.

What advice would you give to other students who face tough challenges?
Tough challenges? Let’s see, how many “labels” could apply to me? Raised by my grandmother, quit school at 16, first and only child at 17, physically abusive relationship for over 5 years, jail, drug rehab, married in 1990, widowed in 2012, and severe depression that kept me from leaving home for close to 2 years. And now, I have rental assistance through Section 8, I receive EBT for my groceries, I sometimes must go to our local Christian Ministry to get help with bills. The amount of sheer will it takes me to attend a class and be around people at times overwhelms to a point that I will spend the next day in bed, in the dark… but I get back up the following day. I had a choice to make and that was to allow myself to be a statistic or to get up and do something with my life. I’ll be 52 years old in March. I attend a “Getting Ahead” program given by our local Christian Ministry, I attend classes at SCC twice a week. I face my fears and own my circumstances because I know I can defeat those fears and improve my circumstances. So, the best advice I would give anyone is to not become a statistic. There are so many people and organizations out there to help you succeed and none of us are too young or too old to accept that help, because in accepting it, perhaps one day you can be the one to give it to someone else who is in a position you are now.

02/18/2019

Ra’shell FieldMedical Office Administration, May 2019
Who is a personal role model for you? Why?
My role model has always been my mother. She had me from a very young age but always taught me the value of hard work. She graduated with her associates in accounting when she was 30 years old while working full time and taking care of two children. I will be 31 when I graduate in May, but I also work full time and have two children. I always know that if my mom could do it, so can I.

What motivates you to excel at SCC in spite of difficult circumstances you may face?
My kids are always my driving force. Everything I do is to make their lives better. I want to show them that with hard work anything is possible. I may not have finished college the easy way, but I will finish and provide for my family more than I was able to have.

What advice would you give to other students who face tough challenges?
My advice for other students who face tough challenges is to find your driving force. Figure out why you are doing this in the first place and never lose sight of that. Also, stay organized- it will help you from going insane.

02/11/2019

Who is a personal role model for you? Why?
I would say my role models would be my parents. If it was not for them, I would not be able to complete this journey I am so passionate about. They have always encouraged me to do my best, to never give up, and to always believe in myself, regardless of the circumstances.

What motivates you to excel at SCC in spite of difficult circumstances you may face?
When it comes to what motivates me to excel at Southwestern, I would have to say my drive to inspire others. I think it is important to always choose to help others and motivate others whenever an opportunity presents itself. I believe all it takes at times is one person to change another person's life for the better and to inspire them to do their best. I believe the obstacles I have faced while being in this program have contributed to the professional I will be throughout my career as a practitioner. While this journey has not been easy, it has and will always be worth it. The challenges I have overcome and continue to overcome is what pushes me each day to always strive to be the best I can be.

What advice would you give to other students who face tough challenges?
For students who are concerned about the challenges they will face, I say follow your dreams. While there may be times you feel like giving up, do not choose to give up. Whenever you feel like you have failed, use that as fuel to inspire you to keep going and to continue to always do your best at whatever may come your way. Always choose to believe in yourself because you are capable more than you might know.

02/04/2019

Nicole RevisMedical Office Administration, May 2019

Who is a personal role model for you? Why?
My husband has been my role model throughout my journey at SCC. He has constantly encouraged me to continue to push forward on the hardest days and has always offered advice and helped with homework when he could.
What motivates you to excel at SCC in spite of difficult circumstances you may face?
Being 30 years old without a college degree motivates me to finish my program of study and continue to further my education beyond SCC. I come from a family where most do not have college degrees so it makes me strive to better myself even when it seems things are difficult with no end in sight.
What advice would you give to other students who face tough challenges?
The best advice I can give other students at SCC is that
In the difficult times to keep pushing forward there is always a light at the end of the tunnel and the staff at SCC has always been helpful when I needed advice.

02/01/2019

Please provide a couple of sentences that describe what your group did.
When we heard about the government shutdown, we knew that we wanted to lend a helping hand so we contacted a park ranger working in the Great Smoky Mountains and asked what we could do to help out. The SCC Outdoor Leadership Club then came together on Wednesday, January 23, 2019, to assist the Great Smoky Mountains National Park during the government shutdown through a student-organized clean up event.

What motivated you to take on this task?
As students of the outdoor leadership program, and as individuals who are pursuing careers within nature and the outdoors, we each feel an innate sense to preserve and care for the land so that we may continue to share the experience of the natural world with other individuals for generations to come. Living in western North Carolina grants us access to a plethora of natural areas and consequently so we feel a duty to be advocates for the land. We saw an opportunity to lend a helping hand and we took action.

What advice would you give to other students who look at situations and wonder "what can I do to make a difference?"
I encourage everyone to do what good they can with where they are and what they have. I firmly believe that nobody is ever too small to make a difference. One of the biggest things that keeps people from taking action is the feeling that they are too insignificant to make a difference. I encourage you to change that way of thinking and to manifest your thoughts into purposeful actions. “The smallest act of kindness is worth more than the greatest intention.”

How has the national publicity of your efforts affected the way you think about service?
What started out as another one of our club’s many hike and cleanup events turned out to be something which caught the attention of the public eye. Service is an integral part of our clubs activities, and national recognition of our efforts helped us to realize that we have the ability to share our values and goals with the community and encourage others to take action.

For more information and a video, visit REX HODGES FACEBOOK STORY https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=2304312282935705&id=343039709062982

01/28/2019

Arlene Christian
Certified Nursing Assistant Certificate, June 2019

Who is a personal role model for you? Why?
The love and admiration I have in caring of people motivated me to continue my studies in nursing. When I started my program in August 2018 here at South Western Community College in the Certified Nurse Aide program, I met Mrs. Donna Pruitt-Conner who was one of my course instructors and also my advisor, Mrs. Pruitt-Conner inspired me a lot in a caring and professional manner which gave me the drive of wanting to complete this next level of my education in this field.

What motivates you to excel at SCC in spite of difficult circumstances you may face?
The fear of going back to school has posed a great challenge, but I manage to overcome my fears with help of my advisor and mentor Mrs. Pruitt-Conner who also went over and beyond her call of duty in making sure that her students are well equipped and have a firm understand of what they required from the SCC that will help them better prepare for their career.

What advice would you give to other students who face tough challenges?
Self-motivation is one advise that I give to current and potential student who have a desire of wanting to further their education or build a career at SCC. Amid any challenges, whether personal or financial, SCC faculties and administrative staff have all required tools and guidance to assist in these areas of interest, giving up is not an option with patience and a lot of faith any one can excel to the top.

01/21/2019

Jennifer Jacobson
Physical Therapist Assistant, May 2019

Who is a personal role model for you? Why?
A personal role model for me is my Mom. Throughout my life my Mom has shown me consistently, time after time, what it means to love unconditionally and persist through challenges. My Mom has always been there for me, no matter what the circumstances. If it was a listening ear, that hug I needed, a shoulder to cry on or being my biggest cheerleader and encourager, there she was. I also saw my Mom face challenging circumstances and saw how she persevered with complete determination and grace. I am thankful I was able to witness her tenacity and diligence. I am a better person because of her.

What motivates you to excel at SCC in spite of difficult circumstances you may face?
My main motivation to persevere in spite of challenges is keeping the end goal in mind. For me, the end goal is becoming a licensed Physical Therapist Assistant that will allow me to combine two of my biggest passions -- the ability to help others and my love of exercise/activity/movement. When I become discouraged, although it's not easy, I keep my end goal in mind and focus on the reasons why I want to become a Physical Therapist Assistant.

What advice would you give to other students who face tough challenges?
My advice would be to remember that nothing lasts forever, even a challenging situation or period of time. When you feel like you're barely keeping your head above water, know that there will be a better day ahead.

SCC Student Recognition RAT - Retention Action Team

04/15/2019

04/08/2019

04/01/2019

03/25/2019

03/04/2019

02/25/2019

02/18/2019

02/11/2019

02/04/2019

02/01/2019

01/28/2019

01/21/2019

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