October 2024 Volume 8 Issue 3

According to the 2018 Adjunct Faculty Survey, “Part-time nontenure-track faculty comprise 47% of the U.S. academic workforce, and two-thirds of them are ‘adjuncts.”

In this regard, we at NSCC are no different in terms of our extensive reliance on adjunct faculty. There is very little doubt that without our adjuncts, we would not be a successfully functioning institution of higher education. Many of us who are full-time faculty inevitably find ourselves working with our part-time colleagues on various projects designed to facilitate our students’ educational successes.

This is the third year that the Faculty Senate has selected Adjuncts of the Year based on their colleagues’ nominations. The recipients of the Adjuncts of the Year Awards not only represent the four schools of our college but also reflect the importance that our adjunct faculty play in the accomplishments of our students and programs.

We can witness these excellent faculties’ commitment and dedication to our students’ successes in their own words:

Dr. Gina Willis (School of Business and Professional Studies) wrote, “I enjoy being an adjunct instructor at Nashville State Community College because I can relate to our students. I understand the doubts about being smart enough, the fear of being the oldest in the class, the challenges of using technology, and the uncertainty about fitting into college life. There’s nothing more rewarding than witnessing our students develop a growth mindset and realize their potential to achieve their academic, personal, and professional goals.

“I enjoy sharing my own experiences with my students, and they often laugh when I tell them that I didn’t know how to use a computer when I started at the Tennessee Technology Center in 1998. It’s true! But, like my students, I kept showing up day after day. Eventually, obstacles turned into opportunities, that’s what I want for our students. Whether I’m instructing on-campus or online, the overarching theme is that our students are not alone, and we genuinely care about them.

“I frequently receive emails and phone calls from students expressing the positive impact I’ve had on their lives. However, the feeling is mutual. Every email, phone call, or conversation with a student reaffirms my decision to become an adjunct instructor at Nashville State Community College.”

Lynn Jenkins (School of Arts and Humanities) penned: “I am a native Nashvillian and a retired language arts middle school teacher. My husband and I have five children and 10 grandchildren (number eleven will be here in November). I enjoy reading, shopping, and travelling!

“I have been an adjunct instructor for LS Reading since 2012. I began teaching the night course while I was teaching middle school during the day. I love interacting with the students. Occasionally, I have a student in my class whom I taught in middle school. I enjoy working at NSCC. There is such a positive spirit of community on this campus. The faculty and staff are so welcoming and helpful. I have made wonderful friendships while at NSCC.”

Tessa Adams (School of Health Sciences) reflected on her teaching at NSCC: “I graduated from the Surgical Tech program at NSCC in 2022. I have worked as a CST for the past 2.5 years in Nashville. I specialized in neurosurgery up until my recent move to a more mixed caseload.

When I was asked to come back to help with the new cohorts, I was more than happy to give them my time. I started out helping with the skills portion in the lab, a replica of a real OR. I would help with the hands-on portion: working with instrumentation, developing proper sterile technique, as well as evaluating the students on skills checkoffs. From there,

I stepped into the role of clinical instructor as students began their clinical rotations at surrounding hospital systems. I ensured all the students were managing their case logs and hours while gaining knowledge and finetuning their skillsets from preceptors. As the program has grown to have two cohorts a year,

I currently get to wear both hats. I spend a portion of my time in the lab with the students and the other helping with clinicals. Being a part of the program has been such a blessing for me.

My appreciation for the program extends from the core values the department instilled in me and the level of preparation I felt for the real world. It is my greatest pleasure to give back and help support when and where I can.”

Pamela Weakley wrote, “I went to Tennessee Tech years ago and majored in Civil Engineering. I love this work and still work in the family business today on a part-time basis. While raising children, I also discovered that I have a passion for teaching – especially in math. I found myself tutoring my children, nieces and nephews, and their friends as they struggled through high school math and later as they took college courses – and I loved it!

About 10 years ago, when my daughter began taking classes at Nashville State, I volunteered to help in the learning lab. Over a couple of years that developed into an opportunity to teach math labs at the Nashville State Clarksville Campus.

I love my job. I love seeing an understanding come to the students as they find that link between class lectures and the homework. I feel grateful every day to get to spend time with these students, and those that I get to work with in on-campus tutoring. I also love the opportunities provided by the Clarksville Campus administration and its teaching staff.”

Reading these succinct reflections of our best adjuncts should remind us how fortunate we are to have them with us. Thanking them for their excellent contributions to our students and the college is the least that we should do.*

Our August 2024 Employee of the Month is Sam Stringfellow!

This is what nominators had to say about Sam Stringfellow, Computer Technician, White Bridge Road Campus:

• I’d like to nominate Sam Stringfellow. He is incredibly patient, kind, and excellent at working with students, faculty, and staff – regardless of their comfort with working with technology. he communicates well via email and is a kind presence in the Service Desk office when people (specifically students) need help face-to-face. There are so many technical questions during the beginning of the semester, and tension can be high, but Sam handles it all with calm expertise. Students and peers speak highly of him, and Sam has been an invaluable resource for getting the semester started strong.

We congratulate you, Sam Stringfellow, your consistent performance and dedication are the pillars of our institution. 

Thank you for your relentless effort and commitment.

Corey Francis, Adjunct Professor, Music

If you are from Nashville, what is your favorite thing to do here?
My family and I moved to Nashville 9 years ago. For me, my favorite thing to do in Nashville is spend time with friends at a restaurant new to us.

If you are not from Nashville, why did you move here and where did you move from? *You can also list your favorite thing or things to do here if you want to.
We moved here from Charleston, Illinois, in 2015 as I took a new job. It was one of the hardest decisions to leave where we were at that time.

Have you always wanted to be a teacher? Why or why not?
Being a teacher was a secondary option for me as I wanted to be a musical performer first. As a high school student, I was enthralled with marching band, jazz band, and small ensembles and wanted to do those the rest of my life. Teaching became the way I could share the joy for music with others and also be part of the performance experience.

What caused you to become interested in your area of teaching?
Music was always part of life as a kid. My father had thousands of records and would play everything from Mozart to Mancini. I was specifically drawn to Paul Desmond and Gerry Mulligan, two jazz saxophonist. But then I had amazing teachers along the way: Fred Ashby, Scott Erickson, John Fannin, Robert Ambrose, Tom Fraschillo all were great influences.

What is at least one thing about your students that you can relate to and empathize with them?
Life happens. Cars get flat tires, families go through difficult times, relationships have ups and down. It is okay to have a bad day.

Can you briefly describe an experience with a class or student that made you feel like you made a positive difference in the world?
I am lucky that my courses are in a sequence where I see the same students for 3 semesters. During the last course in the sequence in Spring 2024, a student said, “You know, I didn’t like that you made us talk and answer questions every class. But now, we (group of 7 students) are all really close friends and can count on each other because you made us talk. We would never have done that on our own.”

Can you tell us at least one thing that you are proud of accomplishing? Maybe you published a book, created an artwork or artworks, grew some bodacious tomatoes, or drove home between 3-6pm without having any bad thoughts or saying bad words about the other drivers. Everyone has at least one thing they can be proud of, so if you don’t mind sharing, please do.
There are so many things in my life I can say I am proud to have done. There have been many pieces of art created, some great performances as well. But, I am most proud of the success and character of my daughters. We have worked and encouraged them to always give effort no matter the outcome and to keep going through the rough situations. To see them succeed in school, in their choosen activity (dance for one, gymnastics for the other), and have fantastic relationships with friends, that makes me smile bigger than anything else I have done.

If you could be a Falcon, Wren, Bluebird or a Turkey Vulture, which bird would you choose and why? *You are NOT limited to these birds. If you admire another type of bird, let us know.  
For me, I would be a duck. Being around a body of water is one of my favorite things, from playing in a creek to having ocean waves crash over me at the beach. Also, I enjoying eating bread.

Finally, if you could go back in time to your first day at work here at NSCC, what are some words of encouragement that you would give yourself?   
Remember the 94%. It is easy to focus on the students who are not doing the work, the time we spend trying to put out fires. This is usually about 6% of our time. Don’t forget to acknowledge those who are quietly getting their work done and enjoy the time when things run smoothly.

Mike Kiggins, Assistant Professor, English

If you are not from Nashville, why did you move here and where did you move from? *You can also list your favorite thing or things to do here if you want to.
I grew up in Clarksville after my father got transferred there from Fort Benning, Georgia. Because Clarksville is so close, I frequently visited Nashville as a young child and teenager. That said, I spent my formative adult years in Memphis, going to undergrad, working in the social work field, then getting my MFA in Creative Writing, after which I moved here following my then-partner who had already finished law school.

Have you always wanted to be a teacher? Why or why not?
Honestly, one of the last classes I took in undergrad was my required speech class. I waited that long because I hated speaking in public. But when I got into my MFA for creative writing after three years of doing social work and had to start giving in-class presentations and mini-lectures, I realized I was fairly good at it. What sealed the deal was when I saw the faces of not only some of my fellow grad students but also those professors light up. They gave me a confidence that I don’t think I otherwise would have realized.

What caused you to become interested in your area of teaching?
I have always been writing, even if I could never diagram a sentence to Mrs. Smith’s satisfaction. At first, I wanted to be a comic book artist and writer, and my little delusional self was sending spec-scrips and strips off to Marvel when I was 12 and 13. I received a couple of kind rejections, and while I kept reading comics (and still do), I started focusing more on writing stories. By the time I finished high school, I’d written my first and second novels.

What is at least one thing about your students that you can relate to and empathize with them?
If I have to pick one thing, I guess that would be feeling overwhelmed with all the demands on my attention and how that then affects my intentions. So many of my students are dealing with so much at such young ages that I cannot imagine how I would do half of the work they are doing if I were suddenly forced to walk those marathons in their shoes. What this makes me think of is how often in my undergrad and graduate programs, professors wouldn’t extend even the measliest grace to me when it came to deadlines, no matter what major life events were happening. While I think deadlines are important, I think we, as faculty, can recognize how often we are afforded the grace of extended deadlines when it comes to some administrative matters. If we, as professionals, can and do receive that leeway when we need it the most, then why shouldn’t our students be afforded the same?

Can you briefly describe an experience with a class or student that made you feel like you made a positive difference in the world?
I had a student who failed my Comp I class twice because he just wouldn’t submit his major papers despite me reminding him. After the second time, he dropped out, but he has since come back. And before he took my class for a third time, he saw me in the hallway last semester and thanked me for working with him as much as I had. He promised me he was taking school more seriously now after some time off, and so far this semester, he has been on top of his game.

Can you tell us at least one thing that you are proud of accomplishing? Maybe you published a book, created an artwork or artworks, grew some bodacious tomatoes, or drove home between 3-6pm without having any bad thoughts or saying bad words about the other drivers. Everyone has at least one thing they can be proud of, so if you don’t mind sharing, please do.
Because I will never be a stunt driver for the Fast & Furious franchise, I have regrettably never made the drive home from the Southeast Campus to Donelson without having many bad thoughts, which occasionally (usually, let’s be honest) result in unchoice words. When it comes to being a writer, what I am most proud of is finally getting my debut novel published in September of 2023. And the Train Kept Moving had been almost picked up so many times by so many publishers, so to finally see it on the shelves of Parnassus Books and to see so many of my fellow Falcons at my book signing there was truly a heartwarming moment. I can’t thank all of you who came to the signing enough for your support. I’d also like to give Harlan Pease a shout-out for mentioning that it was coming up in an in-service about noticing the accomplishments of your peers.

If you could be a Falcon, Wren, Bluebird or a Turkey Vulture, which would bird would you choose and why?
Even after looking at the list, my first answer would be a raven, and, no, not because I’m a huge fan of Poe, but because of the birds listed, none of them evidence a theory of mind like the raven does.  So, if I have to pick from the list, then I am a spontaneous problem-solver like a falcon. I only wish I was as farsighted as they are, which reminds me I need to get a new eye prescription.

Finally, if you could go back in time to your first day at work here at NSCC, what are some words of encouragement that you would give yourself?
Never forget who we are here to serve and the differences, small and large, we do make in our students’ lives.

“Spring into Success” resonates deeply with the essence of what we aim to achieve throughout this conference, as this year’s gathering celebrates renewal, growth, and the exciting potential in our educational landscape. As we embark on this journey together, we’ll explore innovative strategies to empower students, enhance curricula, and we will come together to strengthen our communities.

The Teaching Center invites you to share your expertise with your colleagues. Please submit session proposals that you would be willing to lead during the Spring into Success professional learning conference. Session proposals are needed for college-wide and for specific division-level professional learning.

The Teaching Center will be hosting panel discussions during Spring into Success and the spring semester. We need you to share your expertise. Click here to view the panel discussion topics and to sign up.

Samantha Jones 

Have you lived anywhere other than Nashville? If so, where have you lived? 
Yes. I was born in Michigan. My family moved to California when I was five and I grew up there until May of 2021 when we moved here to Tennessee. 

What circumstances brought you to Nashville? 
It was too expensive to live in California. 

Why is getting a college education important to you? 
I don’t want to be held back later in my life because I didn’t take the time now to develop myself. 

Why did you choose to take classes at Nashville State Community College? 
Initially, when I moved here to Tennessee, I wanted to get out as soon as possible. I chose Nashville State because I liked its study abroad program. I wanted to use it as a way to get out of here. Funnily, I never applied for it. 

What are two things that get in the way of doing better in your classes or make it very hard to get the grades that you want to get? 
The one thing that I can think of that truly gets in the way of me getting better grades is how near the end of every semester, say the last three weeks, I am burnt out from classes and stop caring about my grades, I just want it to be over. 

What keeps you motivated to wake up every morning and go to school, even if you are tired? What do you tell yourself when you feel like it is too much and maybe you want to quit? 
The past three semesters have been fully covered by scholarship money and Pell grants. I am getting my education from money that could have been used for someone else who might want or need a degree more. It makes me grateful for the money I’ve been given and it makes me feel guilty when I don’t put in as much effort as I should be. I don’t want to waste this money. Something I repeatedly tell myself when I want to quit is something my dad told me, “You’re investing in your future.” I know that it sucks now, but I need to do this so I can have a better future. I know that future-me will be so happy that I stuck it through. 

Describe two good experiences that you have had since you have been taking classes here. 
I really enjoyed my Intro to Comm class. I’m not even a Communications major, but each week I was looking forward to what we would be learning next. I also enjoyed my World Religions class. It was actually really hard, but I feel like I learned a lot from that class. 

If you were granted three wishes and you could wish for anything you wanted, what are three things that you would wish for that would help you achieve your goals at Nashville State?  

1. I would wish for discussion board posts to no longer be a thing. Those are the bane of my existence.  

2. I would wish for there to be a separate road that only I can drive on that goes straight to the campus so I don’t have to wake up two hours before my 8am class because of Nashville traffic. 

3. A food court inside the school. 

Who is your favorite musician/band? 
Stray Kids!!!! 

What is your favorite movie or TV show? 
Avatar the Last Airbender (TV) and Spider-man Into the Spiderverse (movie)  

Julia Kim 

Have you lived anywhere other than Nashville? If so, where have you lived?  
I lived in Nashville for most of my life; however, I was born in South Korea and lived there until I was 5 years old. I lived in Texas for 4 years during my undergraduate years and lived in St. Louis for about a year post-graduation.  

If you have moved to Nashville from somewhere else, what circumstances brought you to Nashville?  
My family moved to Nashville for my dad’s job.  

Why is getting a college education important to you?  
Pursuing a college education expands your career opportunities and enhances your ability to network with others. It also fosters the development of critical thinking, communication, and problem-solving skills.  

Why did you choose to take classes at Nashville State Community College?  
Since I work full-time, I can only take classes in the evenings and NSCC offers a good number of evening courses.  

What are two things that get in the way of doing better in your classes or make it very hard to get the grades that you want to get?  
Having a full-time job and family duties can sometimes get in the way of studying for tests.  

What keeps you motivated to wake up every morning and go to school, even if you are tired? What do you tell yourself when you feel like it is too much and maybe you want to quit?  
I genuinely enjoy studying and am always grateful for the fact that I can continue my studies. What keeps me motivated is thinking about the goals I set up for myself and working each day to achieve them.  

Describe two good experiences that you have had since you have been taking classes here.  
I had wonderful experiences connecting with my professors during office hours and meeting new people in class.  

If you were granted three wishes and you could wish for anything you wanted, what are three things that you would wish for that would help you achieve your goals at Nashville State? (*You can wish for ANYTHING, no matter how crazy. If having a personal chauffeur to drive you around would help you, wish for that, for example.  

1. Having a personal chef  

2. Not having to work so I can take more classes  

3. Having a personal assistant  

Who is your favorite musician/band? What is your favorite movie or TV show?  

• Favorite band: Stray Kids  

• Favorite TV show: Game of Thrones  

Is there anything else you would like to share about yourself? Maybe something you think makes you unique or what your plans are for the future?  
I plan to apply to medical schools next year in hopes of matriculating in 2026. 

Peerless Sirivong 

Have you lived anywhere other than Nashville? If so, where have you lived?  
I’ve lived in Nashville all my life. I did live in Knoxville from 2017 to 2022. I received my Bachelor’s degree and wanted to move back home to spend more time with my friends and family. 

Why is getting a college education important to you? 
I am a first-generation college student. I have a lot of younger cousins and I want to be a positive role model for them! 

Why did you choose to take classes at Nashville State Community College? 
It was close to my house and much more affordable than taking classes at a four-year university. 

What are two things that get in the way of doing better in your classes or make it very hard to get the grades that you want to get? 
One thing that gets in my way of doing better in classes is my work schedule. I work five days a week and typically ten hours a day. It is extremely hard to want to do schoolwork when I get home at 8:00 PM most days. Another thing that gets in my way is the amount of stress I have gone through researching and applying for Doctorate programs.  

What keeps you motivated to wake up every morning and go to school, even if you are tired? What do you tell yourself when you feel like it is too much and maybe you want to quit? 
My fiancée keeps me motivated! (*Editor’s note: his fiancée is pictured with Peerless a few minutes after they got engaged) She was the one that helped me decide to go back to school and pursue a Doctorate in Physical Therapy. When things get hard, I always tell myself, “It will all be worth it in the end. Look at the bigger picture.” 

Describe two good experiences that you have had since you have been taking classes here. 
One good experience that I’ve had with my classes at Nashville State is with my professors! I feel like my professor’s care about my success in their classes and my future. They have offered me extra support because of my work schedule and truly want me to succeed. Another good experience is with my classmates. For Anatomy and Physiology, we helped each other inside the classroom and outside of it. We would sometimes meet up in the study room and help each other. This is another thing I did not experience at my four-year university. 

If you were granted three wishes and you could wish for anything you wanted, what are three things that you would wish for that would help you achieve your goals at Nashville State?  
If I was granted three wishes, I would wish for more time every day so I could make the most out of it. I would also wish for an endless bank account so that I could solely focus on school and not worry about financial aid. My last wish would be the ability to understand every topic I learn to the point where I could write a Master’s thesis on it. 

Who is your favorite musician/band? 
It is hard for me to pick a favorite but I would say my top three favorite musicians are Playboi Carti, Lil Uzi Vert, and Mac Miller. 

What is your favorite movie or TV show? 
My favorite movie hands down is Fast and Furious Tokyo Drift. It really sparked my interest in modifying and having cool cars. I am hoping to start modifying my own drift car soon. 

Is there anything else you would like to share about yourself? Maybe something you think makes you unique or what your plans are for the future? 
I come from a family of immigrants. They escaped the war in Laos and came to America for better opportunities and to start a new life. This is what motivates me to pursue higher education. I want to pay it forward and be a shining light for my younger cousins, so that they can achieve whatever goals they set.