Welcome Smyrna Students, Faculty and
Staff!
What excitement and energy we are
experiencing with the kick off of the semester! The campus is truly buzzing
with the return of our faculty and students. I am
sure you have all noticed the construction on campus. We have ample additional
parking this fall, which was badly needed, and the steel is finally going up
for our new 82,000-square-foot facility. To put the building’s size into
perspective, the Mary Lou Apple Building is approximately 35,000 square feet,
and the Art Walker Jr. Building is around 17,000 square feet. The new building
is scheduled to open next fall and will have more square footage than our two
current buildings combined! We are all looking forward to new office space, a
new library, 25 new classrooms, a state-of-the-art “One-Stop Shop”, and seven
new science and mechatronics labs. There will be much more study space for
students and a cyber café as well.
Students, I know many of you are
excited, nervous, apprehensive, and perhaps will feel overwhelmed at times this
year. Please know that we have teams of people on campus ready to help you,
encourage you, offer support, point you in the right direction when you need
it, and celebrate with you when you achieve your academic goals. Your
professors care. Talk to them if you are struggling in class. They are the
first line of individuals who can guide you through course material. We also
have completion coaches on campus, and you all have one assigned to you. These
coaches are ready to help you find direction and assistance when you feel
discouraged and overwhelmed. We also have a very caring front office staff who
are ready to assist you with financial aid, business office, and admissions
questions. Within our Student Success Center we have a Math Lab and Writing
Center with qualified instructors ready to assist you in completing math and
writing assignments. Additionally, we have some tutors in this area. Our
library staff are kind, waiting with coffee, and quietly cheering you on as you
take the time to focus, study, perform, and retain the information you need to
succeed.
You might be asking yourself, can I do
this? The only things you can’t do, are the things you tell yourself you can’t
do. It’s okay to ask for help, and finding the courage to ask for help is one
of life’s biggest challenges. Your dreams can become reality. We are ready to
help you achieve them. In the words of our president, Dr. Michael Torrence,
let’s go! Let’s make the future a bright one. Let’s make it all we’ve dreamed
of. Don’t let you, hold you back. Let’s go!
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