Update from the President
by Dr. Shanna L. Jackson
Greetings Fellow Falcons,
2025 is off to a fast start and Spring is just around the corner! While I hope it will bring warmer weather, I know we will soon reach the end of the first 7 weeks and the midpoint of the semester. The newness of the semester has waned and the weight of completing assignments, projects and exams is upon our students. It is a crossroads for many who are deciding whether to continue the journey or stop out. This is the perfect time to remind students of the many resources we have available for academic support and non-academic support.
Below are a few updates from the Office of the President:
TBR Board Meeting – The Quarterly TBR Board meeting was held on February 26 at 1:00 pm. Meeting materials and the livestream link (and post-meeting recording) can be found online at the TBR Board Meetings webpage. Meeting information is available to all employees.
TBR SOAR Awards – Please join me in congratulating Lindsay Hager who is the Middle Tennessee finalist for the TBR Staff Excellence Award. The SOAR Award winners for Community Colleges and TCATs for Faculty, Staff, Student and College of the year will be announced during the SOAR Awards Dinner on February 27.
Enrollment Update – As of February 24, we are up 13.6% in headcount, which is more than 800 students from last spring and up 16.3% in FTE! This is a larger increase than we experienced this fall and is building on the momentum of retaining our students at a significantly higher rate.
Student Outcome Data – The Persistence, Retention and Graduation dashboard has been updated and there is good news to share! Persistence increased from 72% to 76%, retention improved from 43% to 45% and the three-year graduation rate improved from 17% to 19%. The improvement in student outcomes and increase in enrollment is a testament to the individual and collective efforts that each of you makes every day. Stay data informed by visiting our new Data Access Page. Please contact Institutional Research if you have questions.
Wellness – Wellness includes both our physical and mental health. Along with Partners for Health’s online wellness benefits, the Fitness Center on the White Bridge Campus and Emotional Wellbeing Solutions (formerly EAP) for support services; each month in The Voice, the Employee Engagement Committee will share practical tips for staying in good shape physically, emotionally and mentally. I encourage you to check it out and take care of you!
As much as I talk about students being the reason we are here and how critical our mission is to support their hopes and dreams, I know you have your own. Those dreams, whether they are personal or professional, are valuable. Your contributions to our college matter and so do you! Thanks for being a difference maker.
Mental Health Tips for College Employees: Nurturing Your Well-Being in a Demanding Environment
By Danielle Sullivan, Coordinator, The Learning Center and Dyamond Williams, Student Services Specialist III, Clarksville Campus
Working at a college or university can be an incredibly rewarding experience, but it also comes with its own set of unique challenges. Whether you are a faculty member, staff, or administrator, the demands of academic deadlines, student needs, and the busy pace of campus life can sometimes lead to stress, burnout, and mental fatigue. Prioritizing your mental health in such a high-energy, fast-paced environment is essential to maintaining both your professional and personal well-being.
Each month, the Employee Engagement Committee will share a mental health tip to help you thrive in your college job while taking care of yourself.
February – Practice Mindfulness and Stress-Reduction Techniques
Mindfulness practices—like meditation, deep breathing, or simply focusing on the present moment—can be powerful tools for managing stress and maintaining mental well-being. The academic year can get hectic, but taking a moment to be present can help you reset and refocus.
How to do it:
- Take a few minutes each morning or afternoon to practice deep breathing exercises. Try inhaling for a count of four, holding for four, and exhaling for four. This can help reduce immediate stress and calm your nervous system.
- Practice mindful listening in meetings or interactions with students. Focus on the speaker without judgment or distraction, which helps you stay present and reduce anxiety.
- Engage in meditation using apps like Headspace or Calm, which offer guided sessions to help clear your mind.
Incorporating mindfulness into your day can reduce feelings of overwhelm, improve focus, and boost emotional resilience.
Student Support Services Update
Brian N. Lee, Student Resource Manager & Courtney Woodard, Student Resource Coordinator, Student Success Center
Hello, NSCC community! My name is Brian Lee, and I am excited to serve as your Student Resource Manager. After working in the NSCC Financial Aid office for the past 3 years, I now have the opportunity to help students navigate challenges by connecting them with vital support services.
I work alongside Courtney Woodard, our Student Resource Coordinator, to ensure students have access to the resources they need to thrive. Whether students need resources related to food, childcare, diapers, transportation, textbook assistance, technology assistance, health and well-being, or many other issues, we are here to guide them toward the right support systems. The best way to seek our assistance is through the CARE Referral Form, which allows students, faculty, and staff to request assistance for themselves or others.
In addition to our student support services, we are excited to introduce efforts in developing a new student organization: Mental Health Matters! This group is designed to promote mental wellness, provide peer support, and foster open discussions about mental health challenges in college. For those passionate about mental health advocacy or simply looking for a safe space to connect with others, we encourage you to connect with us and help us get this organization up and running.
NSCC is committed to building a supportive and inclusive environment, and we invite you to be part of these efforts. Whether you need resources, want to learn more about Mental Health Matters, or are looking for ways to support our NSCC community, we are here to help!
Staff Assembly Committee Highlight
By Karina Davis, Student Support Specialist I, Staff Assembly Committee Chair 2024/2025, Student Success Center
Our November 2024 Employee of the Month is Edward Abel!
This is what nominators had to say:
Edward Abel
Stock Clerk III, White Bridge Campus
- He is a hard-working individual who has taken on many responsibilities that help keep the college running from behind the scenes.
- He is willing to go out of his way to ensure everyone has the things they need to help students succeed.
- Always has a smile on his face and loves to chat it up with everyone.
- His skill set is unmatched by the many hats that he wears for the college. (Central Receiving, Courier services, Main POC for Canon, Main POC for Knight Horst, etc.)
We congratulate you, Edward Abel, and thank you for your exemplary performance, hard work, and dedication that have significantly contributed to our Nashville State Community College’s achievements.
7 Faculty earn Advanced Certificate in the Effective Teaching Practice Framework
by Amy S. Bryant, Associate Professor of Communication Studies and Director, The Teaching Center
Belkis Barrios, Harlan Pease, Marla Perry, Robert Ladd, Zachary Mills, Piper Sesnan and Amy Bryant have earned the Advanced Certificate in the Effective Teaching Practice Framework from ACUE and endorsed by the American Council on Education.
These faculty completed the Effective Online Teaching Practices course this spring and earned the Advanced Certificate for completing both the Effective Teaching Practices Framework and the Effective Online Teaching Practices Framework. During the course, they learned about effective teaching practices, implemented effective teaching practices, and reflected on the impact of these practices and how to refine the use of these practices for the future.
Please join The Teaching Center in celebrating these faculty members’ accomplishments.
7 NSCC employees have earned the ACUE Badge in Inspiring Inquiry and Lifelong Learning in Your Online Courses.
by Amy S. Bryant, Associate Professor of Communication Studies and Director, The Teaching Center
During this course, these employees have engaged in professional learning about motivating students online, providing clear directions and explanation in online courses, integrating visualization tools in online courses, using data and feedback to improve online teaching, using advanced questioning techniques in online courses, and developing self-directed online learners.
They have implemented teaching practices in their courses, reflected on the impact of these practices, and planned for how to use these practices in teaching moving forward.
- Belkis Barrios
- Amy Bryant
- Robert Ladd
- Harlan Pease
- Marla Perry
- Piper Sesnan
- Zach Mills
Nashville State Team Members Continue to Make Their Mark with Published Works
By Tom Hayden, Associate Vice President, Office of Communications and Marketing
Nashville State is proud and excited to highlight the continued academic achievements of its dedicated community of Falcons, who are actively contributing to the literary and scholarly world, while inspiring students to write.
- TaMecca Dansby is making an impact with her work Speak It! 31-Day Devotional Prayer Journal: Shape Your World Through the Power of Your Words. Available on Amazon.
- Michael Kiggins has authored The Train Kept Moving, an exploration of personal and societal transformation. Available on Amazon.
- Robyn Lear recently released Ekphrasis as Divination, a work exploring the intersection of art and divination. Available on Barnes & Noble.
- Zach Mills brings his perspective on history and faith with his book The Last Blues Preacher: Reverend Nation. Available on Amazon.
- Mary Elizabeth Wilson-Patton‘s work on English Language Learners in the Southeastern United States: Considerations for Practice, Policy, and Advocacy focuses on the impact and response from a rapidly growing population. Available from Rowman & Littlefield.
These publications not only highlight the intellectual contributions of Nashville State’s faculty and staff, but also the college’s ongoing commitment to fostering scholarship and community engagement.
People You Meet in the Hall – Students
By Gracie Andrews King, Ph.D., Associate Professor
February can be a frigid month and seems like the longest month of the year sometimes. Everyone is waiting for March with its promises of Spring and is ready for Winter to end. Days are still short and after the warmth of holidays and new beginnings in December and January, February feels like time to endure instead of days that bring joy. Here is hope that Beverly, Fathi (FAH-tee) and Tra (TRAY) bring some joy and a smile to warm your days.
Fathi Aden
1. Have you lived anywhere other than Nashville? If so, where have you lived?
I lived in Uganda before I moved to Nashville.
2. If you have moved to Nashville from somewhere else, what circumstances brought you to Nashville?
To be closer to family.
3. Why is getting a college education important to you?
It opens up opportunities for growth and learning and it allows me to grow, meet diverse people, learn an develop skills that will help me in my career. It’s a chance to discover new passion.
4. Why did you choose to take classes at Nashville State Community College?
Going to the community college was the best financial decision and the smaller class size.
5. 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?
Procrastinating.
6. 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 thing that keeps me going is the fact that I want to get to my dream career.
7. Describe two good experiences that you have had since you have been taking classes here.
My experience with the professors was my best experience at NSCC, they are incredibly supportive and approachable, always willing to help and provide extra guidance when needed.
8. 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?
I wish I could visit my mom during the summers. I wish I could get a full ride to finish my finish my academic journey.
9. Have you made any new friends while taking classes at Nashville State? If you have, what do you have in common with each other outside of the classroom?
I have made friends at Nashville state and what we had in common was our love for academic excellence.
10. Who is your favorite musician/band? What is your favorite movie or TV show?
My current musician is Teddy Swims.
Tra Armstead
1. Have you lived anywhere other than Nashville? If so, where have you lived?
I grew up an army brat so yes! Born in Georgia. Moved to Texas, Kansas, Germany, Washington State, Missouri, Alabama and then Nashville!
2. If you have moved to Nashville from somewhere else, what circumstances brought you to Nashville?
I came to Nashville seeking job opportunities after I completed my Bachelors in Business Management at the University of North Alabama.
3. Why is getting a college education important to you?
A college education is important to me for many reasons. One (of course) being job opportunities. However, I believe that everyone should seek further education outside of the standard K-12. In order to grow and progress as a person and as a society, we have to be willing to continuously educate ourselves. Also, as a black American, there was a time where people who looked like me weren’t able to read and write. I believe it’s a slap in the face to those who fought for my right to seek further education if I didn’t.
4. Why did you choose to take classes at Nashville State Community College?
I am pursuing a career in Dental Hygiene. Nashville State offered the prerequisites I needed and it was very convenient for me with their plethora of campus locations.
5. 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?
Honestly, the biggest thing that gets in my way is myself. Procrastination, lack of focus, and being overwhelmed at times. Which are clearly things that I have to work on personally. Secondly, just everyday life can get in the way sometimes. I am almost 30 years old. I work a full-time job and am responsible for maintaining my household. It can definitely be overwhelming and time consuming, but it also motivates me to push through.
6. 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?
2 things I have to constantly tell myself, “Remember why you started” and “It’s too late to turn back now”. I started this journey for the opportunity at a better life and to take care of myself and others around me. I’ve already invested so much time (and money) into finishing. It would be a shame to let all my hard work thus far go to waste.
7. Describe two good experiences that you have had since you have been taking classes here.
Meeting new people and seeing how far I can push myself have definitely been my 2 greatest experiences at Nashville State. It’s so refreshing and inspiring to be in a classroom with so many different people from all walks of life pursuing the same thing as myself. My first semester I was in class with a woman who was married, had a full-time job, had 2 kids and was pregnant with her third child. I had to tell myself, if she can do it, so can I!
8. 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?
My 3 wishes would be beds/lounge chairs in classrooms, endless amounts of energy so I never get tired, and the ability to quit my job and not have to pay bills so I can spend my time solely focusing on the coursework.
9. Have you made any new friends while taking classes at Nashville State? If you have, what do you have in common with each other outside of the classroom?
Yes, I’ve made numerous friends here at Nashville State! And the crazy thing is, we honestly didn’t have much in common. But that’s one of the things I love about Nashville State! Outside of the classroom setting, I probably would have never had the opportunity to meet some of these amazing people. But in the end, we all came together and helped each other get through the semester and formed amazing bonds in the process.
10. Who is your favorite musician/band? What is your favorite movie or TV show?
My favorite musician would have to be Beyoncé! She is truly so talented and inspiring. Her work ethic and drive is truly unmatched. I am a man, but I love her ability to empower the women in my life!
11. 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?
Well, I believe I was born to be different. Growing up as a gay black male, I always tried to fit the mold or fit in with the crowd and it usually never worked out for me. Then, one day I realized that I wasn’t created to fit in with the “norm”. I was created to go against it, push the envelope, and change people’s thought processes about any assumptions they may have about me or people like me. I carry that belief with me every day as I go through life. And I will continue to carry it with me in the future as I embark on this journey in dental hygiene where I will once again be in the minority.
Beverly Opuku
1. Have you lived anywhere other than Nashville? If so, where have you lived?
Yes, I lived in Brooklyn, New York
2. If you have moved to Nashville from somewhere else, what circumstances brought you to Nashville?
I moved from my hometown, Brooklyn, NY, to Nashville due to my father. He found a better-paying opportunity for his trucking company, so due to that, me and family had to move to where his job was.
3. Why is getting a college education important to you?
To be truthful, in my parents’ household that was the only option but also, I knew I wanted to have a career.
4. Why did you choose to take classes at Nashville State Community College?
I was attending The University of Memphis first, but unfortunately, that school wasn’t for me, so I decided to continue at my closest community college and then transfer to continue at a 4-year school (MTSU) to receive my Bachelor of Science in Nursing.
5. 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?
I would say that working two jobs and being a full-time student honestly takes a big toll on me. Also, I will say me procrastinating a lot is a big part of why my grades aren’t where they should be. I’m 20 years old and live on my own, pay bills, and school all on my own. So, I always tell myself I’m trying my hardest to keep up but I believe everything will get better.
6. 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?What motivates me to continue going to school will have to be my mother. Just because she is the reason why I’m going to school for nursing, so I can take care of her properly. And I always tell myself that if I don’t do it nobody else will do it for me. Basically telling myself that failing is not an option and I must always keep my faith high.
7. Describe two good experiences that you have had since you have been taking classes here.
A good experience I had was in class during our labs. It was fun mixing different things together and seeing the outcome. Another good experience was when we tasted things for a lab class as well.
(*editors note: The students were not tasting body parts or food in class. Beverly tasted PTC, thiourea, and sodium benzoate papers for a cranial nerve lab. Humans inherit genetic alleles for taste and some people are “supertasters.” The ability to taste or not taste the paper strips indicated which alleles the students had. If you would like to know more, here is a good website explaining the genetics of bitter taste and why it helps with survival of certain species: https://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/basics/ptc/)
8. 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?
I would wish to understand and remember everything from the back of my hand that I’ve learned. My second wish would have to be making straight A’s. My last wish would be financially stable to continue paying for school without having to work 2 jobs.
9. Have you made any new friends while taking classes at Nashville State? If you have, what do you have in common with each other outside of the classroom?
Yes, I’ve made a few friends and we love how we support each other and help each other out from the kindness of our hearts. And we also love food of course and we honestly just love laughing and having a fun time together when we can.
10. Who is your favorite musician/band? What is your favorite movie or TV show?
My favorite musician is PARTYNEXTDOOR. He’s an R&B artist.
11. 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?
In the future, I will be a registered nurse and I will be working my dream job and also being blessed enough, knowing that I’m able to take care of my mother with the knowledge and have a financial freedom and soon to start a family and of course, having a very close relationship with God.
Management versus Leadership: a visit to Dave Edgington‘s Jazz Ensemble classes
by Harlan Pease, Associate Professor of Communication, EHCT
On Thursday, Jan. 30th, I visited Dave Edgington’s Jazz Ensemble classes, and the experience lead to some interesting thoughts, such as these:
Management: we managed to get some money saved; we managed to get our work done; sometimes, it can feel like we just managed to get through the day. Of course, there are jobs where the word manager is in the title.
Leadership: We recognize great leaders, like Martin Luther King Jr., and there are cheer leaders, and maybe we can lead people on. However, we don’t say “I lead myself into a situation where I had money saved up,” or “I lead myself through this day and got all my work done.”
Sometimes “management” and “leadership” get used as if they are interchangeable, but there’s definitely a difference there.
The point this is leading to is I often hear about classroom management, but I don’t often hear about classroom leadership. Based on the above, “management” is using the available resources to accomplish something/to solve a problem. So, “classroom management” suggests we use available resources to create a classroom environment and solve problems that arise in that environment. Practically, it’s managing the classroom so there aren’t disruptions, so everyone has an equitable educational experience, etc.
It’s trickier to nail down what “classroom leadership” looks like, partly because it’s tricky to define leadership. If we Google “what makes a good leader,” the results tend toward what defines a bad leader; it’s one of those things where it’s easier to show what it isn’t than what it is.
This difficulty in defining is probably why schools can create courses/programs for Management, but for Leadership? Not so much. Leadership seems to arise from factors that are hard to nail down, like that mysterious “it” some people have, or charisma, etc. Leadership doesn’t have an easily identifiable and measurable set of competencies.
With that in mind, when I discuss leadership with students, I present it this way: “management” is getting students to not be disruptive, to put their phones away, etc.; “leadership” gets students to want to put their phones away and not be disruptive. It’s a simple definition that is far from all inclusive, but it functions.
So, on to my visit to Dave’s class.
If you’re not a musician, one thing to know is that putting an instrument in someone’s hands and asking them to not play it is like the draw to a cell phone, but the draw is on steroids. You know how hard it is to resist that urge to check your phone? That instrument they love playing is like that by a factor of 10.
So, consider how potentially chaotic it is to have a group of students with instruments in their hands, to get them to listen, to focus, to become an ensemble working collectively. That potential chaos is an ideal situation for looking at classroom management versus classroom leadership. From a management perspective, a teacher could simply make some rules. Don’t do _________ and tie those rules to grades: a penalty for breaking the rules or a reward for following them. On the other hand, class leadership would encourage students to do the right thing because they want to do the right thing.
Often, the right thing to is listen. And the right thing to do is often a hard thing to do. That urge to pick up the cell phone when someone is talking to us or we’re in a meeting or while we are watching a TV show or reading a book often comes down to the difficulty of listening. Listening is hard. Really listening requires setting aside the self and giving ourselves over to that other person or their creation.
It may seem odd ironic to talk about difficulties in listening when it comes to playing music, as it is a hearing-based art, but it has been my experience that while many musicians have an “ear” for music, they aren’t that good at listening. And that’s the challenge leadership is faced with. Management can focus on technique, but leadership starts with listening.
What I saw when I visited Dave’s class was leadership.
For starters, Dave was managing two separate groups of people, in two different locations, during one class period. Those students were on task. They were doing the right thing even when Dave wasn’t present.
But more than that, Dave was teaching all of them to listen. There were lots and lots of things he could’ve focused on, like intonation, timing, groove, chord voicings, etc., but what he focused on was listening. He got them thinking about dynamics, which is something a musician can listen for and participate in regardless of their technical skill level. He created opportunities for people to contribute to the music regardless of how much or little they knew on their instrument in terms of technique and music theory.
At one point, he asked them to think about the lyrics to the song they were playing (Blue Moon) and how the meaning of those lyrics could impact the way they played, their sense of dynamics, of how full the arrangement should be. This old lyric, commonly associated with Frank Sinatra, written back in 1934, a long, long way from Drake, Kendrick, Norwegian death metal, and K-pop would appear to be far from relevant to a group of young people, yet Dave got them to think about those lyrics, to stop noodling on their instruments and listen, to fully engage with someone else else’s vision and experience of life.
I’ve thought a lot about how much I would’ve struggled if I were in Dave’s shoes, how hard it would be to resist the urge to correct, to encourage some students to focus on their intonation, to show some students easier, more efficient ways to play their parts, to address how some students were struggling with playing in time. It made me really, fully appreciate what Dave is doing for those students and what he is giving them. He’s teaching them to listen. He’s teaching them to communicate. He’s teaching them to care about other people and to function as a group. He isn’t serving his ego, a need for perfection, a concern for how others might judge him based on the technical performance of his students. It isn’t “jazz performance” class, or “show off your technique and chops” class: it’s Jazz Ensemble.
After class was over, I chatted with Dave for a while. At one point, I said “the students don’t realize what an amazing gift you’re giving them.” Dave was his usual humble self, but it’s true, and I believe Dave knows it’s true, which is exactly why he’s giving them that gift. He wants them to experience connection. He wants their ability to participate in music to not be tied to their ability to be perfect at technically executing music. He’s leading them, rather than managing them.
Being a leader is often a thankless job. It’s an intangible that can be hard to credit on an evaluation. It doesn’t directly lend itself to data, to GEA and IE goals. And often, people don’t recognize they’ve experienced good leadership until they don’t have it anymore, because leadership doesn’t draw attention to itself. That thankless part might make it easier to focus on management stuff and stuff that is easier to put on an evaluation. But deep down, I think all of us in education, regardless of our role, got into it because we want to lead. We want to lead people to their passions. We want to lead people to a better future. We want them to lead the world to a better future. Of course, we all have to do management functions to accomplish this, but I hope we never lose sight of our desire to lead.
Student Life Events!
by Kelsey A. Johansen, M.Ed., Director, Student Life
Student Life is excited to share photos from Student Life for Jan/February!
Remember, you can also stay informed through the Wednesday What’s Happening sent through Campus Announcements and posted to @NashstatestudentLife on Instagram and Facebook.
Falcons’ News on NSCC.edu
by Tom Hayden, Associate Vice President, Office of Communications and Marketing
Savor the Flavors of Nashville’s Must-attend Tasting Event on March 11
https://nscc.edu/news/savor-the-flavors-of-nashvilles-must-attend-tasting-event-on-march-11.php
Nashville State Reveals Key Details for Spring 2025 Graduation and Commencement
https://nscc.edu/news/nashville-state-reveals-key-details-for-spring-2025-commencement.php
Nashville State, Cat Financial Welcome Third Apprenticeship Cohort
https://nscc.edu/news/nashville-state-cat-financial-welcome-third-apprenticeship-cohort.php
Exciting News: A new look at my.nscc.edu
https://www.nscc.edu/news/new-look-to-my-nscc-edu.php
Kurdish Language Class Offered at Nashville State’s Southeast Campus
https://nscc.edu/news/kurdish-language-class-offered-at-nashville-state-southeast-campus.php
Nashville State Community Night at Belmont University Men’s Basketball Game
https://nscc.edu/news/nashville-state-community-night-at-belmont-university-mens-basketball-game.php
Nashville State Community College, MTSU Expand Transfer Opportunities for Associate Degree Graduates
https://nscc.edu/news/nashville-state-mtsu-expand-transfer-opportunities-for-associate-degree-graduates.php
The NSCC Voice
Founded 2017
Cliff Rockstead, Managing Editor
David Gerth, Assistant Managing Editor
Kevin Woods, Layout
February 2025 Contributors
Amy S. Bryant
Connie Daniel
Karina Davis
Tom Hayden
Dr. Shanna L. Jackson
Kelsey A. Johansen
Gracie King
Brian N. Lee
Harlan Pease
Danielle Sullivan
Dyamond Williams
Courtney Woodard