Motlow Smyrna Spotlight: Lisa Hardie

Interview by Ramona Shelton

Motlow Buzz Faculty Managing Editor

      For this issue of The Buzz, we spotlight Lisa Hardie, the PTK secretary, a peer tutor for the Writing Center, and an Honors student.

Lisa Hardie

 

Question: Tell us a bit about you.

Answer: "My name is Lisa Hardie. I was homeschooled. I love writing. I wanted to be an author and still want to be an author. Right now I am a Psychology major, and when I transfer to MTSU, I will add minors in Neuroscience and Writing."
 

Question: Why did you choose Motlow? What is your major/what do you want to be when you grow up?

Answer: "Tennessee Promise played a bit part in it. I am planning to transfer to MTSU. I’m glad I decided to come here because of the Honors college, the Writing Center, and all the other opportunities that I wouldn’t have had otherwise. Even though I “chose” it because of the Tennessee Promise, I wouldn’t have had those opportunities if I hadn’t come here."

Question: "What is your favorite thing about Motlow Smyrna?

Answer: "I love how small it is. You really get to know people and become friends with them. I’ve had great interactions with teachers. The small classes let us have more interactions. It’s like a small community."

Question: What is PTK? Can anyone join?

Answer: "PTK is Phi Theta Kappa, an honor society here at Motlow. A lot of people think it’s a sorority, but it is not a sorority. Anybody can come to the meetings as guests, but you have to be invited to join. You have to have a certain GPA and meet other qualifications. Please come to the meetings if you want to connect with us, and if you think your GPA is high enough, check with me and I’ll connect you with our campus advisor. If you get invited, maybe you can become an officer. All our officers are graduating this year, so this is the time to shoot for that if you get in. Keep in mind that you don’t have to be an invited member to participate in our meetings and events. Anyone can get involved. It’s a great way to connect with people."

Question: We see you at the Writing Center all the time. What do you do there?

Answer: "I tutor, so if someone comes in with a paper or any sort of writing, I can sit down and go over it with them. I am really passionate about writing. People have a tendency to think they aren’t good at writing, and all they really need is someone to boost them. I love being able to give them the confidence they need. Keep this in mind, there is no shame in getting help. I am a peer tutor, and I still gave my scholarship application to another peer tutor look over. And this applies to everybody. Professor Caviezel, the Writing Center Coordinator, told us not long ago that our academic dean, Elizabeth Fitch, got her to look over something she had written. It never hurts to have an extra set of eyes look over stuff!"

Question: Give us your number one writing tip.

Answer: "Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Leave yourself plenty of time to work on the assignment. Do not procrastinate. We have the Procrastination Monster in the Writing Center. Don’t let the Procrastination Monster get you!"

Question: What is your favorite part of being in the Honors program?

Answer: "Honors classes have a tendency to be even smaller than the rest of our classes, so it allows us to get closer to not just the students but also the teachers. We get to do things like have trips, and I’ve made some really good friends."

Question: What piece of advice would you give to a first-time, incoming freshman (i.e. What do you wish you had known on your first day here?)

Answer: "When you come in, it can be overwhelming and you might feel alone. Don’t rush to find friends because they may not be the ones you’ll have forever. Take the time to get your bearings and find out how things work. But get involved once you do get settled into your classes. Do what will help you in the future, so find a club or a group that interests you and will help you figure out what matters to you. Even if you don’t know what you want to do when you graduate, you can help figure it out by getting involved in clubs. If you don’t see something right off that interests you, don’t worry because the right one will find you. The Writing Center found me. If you are interested in writing and tutoring, come see us in the Writing Center. We are looking for peer tutors for the fall."