Motlow Buzz Releases Print Issue for October 2024

 

Motlow Smyrna Schedules Host of Events to Kick Off First Week of Fall Semester 2022

 Welcome Week: School’s Back ‘from’ Summer…

 

            SMYRNA -- Nothing feels better than beginning a new life adventure. There’s excitement in the air as hundreds of students return and/or arrive for the first time to Motlow’s Smyrna campus. There are a host of activities scheduled this week to get everyone all revved up for Fall 2022.

 

            This is only a small sampling of all the fun students can expect to have this fall here in Smyrna. 

 

            * Go-To-Crews will be on hand to welcome and answer any questions students have from 8 to 10 a.m. on Monday and Tuesday.

 

            * Check out our Ice Cream Social from noon to 1:30 p.m. Monday.

 

            *  Game Day will occur from 2 to 4 p.m. on Tuesday. 

 

            * Enjoy Donuts with our Deans and Faculty members from 8 to 9:30 a.m. Wednesday.

 

            * Visit the HSC Lobby from 2-3:30 p.m. Wednesday and/or 11 a.m.-noon on Thursday for our Club and Resource Days. Tables will be laden with club information. Get involved! It’s a great opportunity to learn and grow in one's academic area of interest.

 

            * Motlow Smyrna’s big Cookout will occur from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Thursday.

 

            Be sure to mark your calendar. Have fun and the take the opportunity to meet fellow students, faculty, administrators and staff. See you soon!

 

            For more information, contact the Dean of Students at deanofstudents@mscc.edu . 

 

 

Balance: Priorities, Deadlines and Time Management

By Sarah Hood

Motlow Buzz Contributing Writer

It is 9 p.m., the night before class. You have just worked a double shift at work, and you are exhausted. You realize that you haven't eaten today, so you run by McDonald's on your way home. Your phone rings, and his face pops up. Chad. You haven't talked to him all day because work was SO busy. You decide to ignore the call and call him back once you get settled and at home. It rings again. And again. And again. You finally answer, and you hear the words that no one wants to hear: "We need to talk. Can you come over?"

Time Management:

Time management plays a huge role in staying on track. According to my own calculations, there are only 168 hours in a week. If a student is working full time, 40 of those hours are spent at work. Out of the 168 hours, 15 hours are spent at school. If you get eight hours of sleep a day, 56 of those hours are spent sleeping. This allows you 28.5 hours a week to study and have social time. You have to be able to manage your time to avoid stress and be able to fit everything into its place. Your time is like a puzzle, and you create the pieces to fit where they need to go. Make a schedule. Get a planner and plan out time for work, school and personal life. Don’t get caught up in a routine. Just go with the plan. Everything else will fall into place.

You frantically drive over to his house, just to remember that today was your one-year anniversary. He meets you at the door with flowers and a kiss. He has made a dinner fit for royalty, but you hate to tell him that you just filled up on that juicy, savory Big Mac. You go in, grab a quick bite, just so he doesn't feel bad that you didn't eat his cooking that he probably spent hours on. Then you sit down on the couch to watch a movie with him, “The Notebook”, your favorite movie. You cuddle up on the couch, and as the movie begins, you begin to dose off. 

Priorites:

In order to stay on task in school, you need to make sure to have priorities. If you want to be able to manage everything going on in your life, you must set your tasks in order of importance. Between school, work and relationships, everything can become very overwhelming. You may find yourself pushing one thing to the side in order to deal with another. You just have to find out which of these has the greatest importance.

 Personally, I believe that school should always have the greatest priority in life. Yes, you must work in order to survive, but if you overwhelm yourself with work, school will fall to the wayside.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics (https://www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2018/07/10/study-shows-how-working-community-college-students-fared), some 44 percent of students worked “while enrolled in their first year of postsecondary education. This is a large number considering that most students attend class for 15 hours a week. This also goes back to time management. Like I said, everything plays hand in hand.

You jolt awake to the phone ringing. It's Leah, your best friend. You answer, half awake, and she begins to talk frantically into the phone. "Sarah! Did you get the answer to number three? What is he even talking about in that essay question? I know I'm gonna fail. I shouldn't have waited until the last minute to do this exam. It's 10:30! It's due by midnight! What am I going to do?" You quiet her down just to try to figure out exactly what she's talking about. "The midterm exam? Tonight? OH CRAP!" You got so distracted with work and spending time with Chad that you forgot that the midterm was due tonight by midnight. You rush to Chad's computer and attempt to start this exam with no notes, and half asleep. 

Deadlines:

Deadlines play a major role in the stresses of a student. However, they will always be there. Deadlines are deadlines, and that’s why they are deadlines. Motlow State Community College’s Mass Communications professor, Charles Whiting, has learned and grown by meeting deadlines.

“Being able to meet deadlines leads to success, while helping others,” he said. “Disregarding deadlines generally leads to failure. This is especially true for students who are developing the skills, confidence and credibility needed for challenging careers.”

Being a student myself, I struggle with meeting a deadline. In order to meet a deadline, you must prepare. You know when the assignment is due. You know the steps you need to take in order to fully and correctly complete the assignment. You know you can’t finish the assignment two hours before it is due. In order to avoid the stress, allow yourself plenty of time to prepare, brainstorm, study and finish the assignment with plenty of time to look over your assignment before it is due.

I've spent many nights after work trying to cram in homework before I fall out of exhaustion. Being a student isn't easy. Balance isn't something that just happens. You can become overwhelmed WAY too easy. Between making ends meet, to maintaining that GPA, and throw a relationship in there, it can be a horrible whirlwind. If you manage your time, prepare to meet your deadlines, and create priorities, you will notice your stress levels drop tremendously.

Here’s a tip from Professor Whiting: “Take a break (even for a few minutes) to do something you really love. Forget about what’s stressing you for a while. Take a walk, watch a movie, or bang on the piano. Read a good book. Joke and laugh with someone. Even walking around for a few minutes can relieve creativity-stealing stress. Say to yourself, ‘I can do this. I’ve been given talents that no one else has, and I love what I do.’ Remember some of the encouraging things people have said to you, and seek reassurance if needed. Know that your professors believe in you as they push and challenge you toward success. You can do it!” 

On Assignment: A Conversation With Motlow Smyrna Academic Dean Elizabeth Fitch

By Eric Wright

Motlow Buzz Contributing Writer

        SMYRNA – Academic Dean Elizabeth Fitch exemplifies an effective organizational and ethical leader. She is planning ahead to make sure the institution (students, faculty, administrators and staff) succeeds. This example is one of the many elements in her leadership style – a desire to improve as a leader.

        While working with Dean Fitch over the years, she has consistently been open about plans and possible opportunities. During her interview, she mentioned honesty as a key ingredient in being an effective leader by building trust within the campus and earning respect while giving respect.

        Last of all, I selected her for this interview because she said, “yes,” and her office was right next to mine. This proximity has afforded me the opportunity to hear and watch her work on a daily basis. The interview went smoothly with open comments and friendliness demonstrated throughout the process. Her relaxed, open and communicative dialogue made the process smooth.

        At the same time, she matched so many of the leadership readings from the chapters in Hackman and Johnson’s textbook, including “Transformational and Charismatic Leadership” discussed in Chapter Four, “Leadership Power and Influence in Chapters Five and Six, and “Ethical Leadership and Followership” in Chapter 11.

Photo by Connie Esh for The Murfreesboro Post

Leadership Path:

        Dean Fitch did not start in the education field seeking an administrative leadership role. While completing her master’s degree at Middle Tennessee State University, she was offered a part-time adjunct teaching position in the Biology Department. The department later offered her a full-time instructor role teaching collegiate biology classes.

        She started working as an adjunct instructor for Motlow State Community College while working at Middle Tennessee State University, eventually transitioning into a full-time teaching position. She learned a great deal about teaching and transitioned these skills into the new position.

        Next, after teaching for Motlow for several years, she became the academic dean controlling the entire administrative and academic duties over the Smyrna campus. She did not follow the typical route in seeking an administrative leadership role at first. However, after attaining the new administrative leadership position, she started to read more about leadership principles and attended several professional leadership events.

        Dean Fitch did not start off directly in a leadership route. However, she has attended several training events, including at least one offered through the American Association of Community Colleges. During the summer of 2016, she joined the AACC, attending a meeting in Washington “in their future leaders institute.” This event offered insights on ways to become a stronger and more effective leader. Also, she focused on improving her current leadership role and understanding more about the role of an organizational leader.

        When asked about the definition of a leader, she noted that “a leader inspires people to do their jobs,” which illustrates one of the many roles of a leader. A leader helps employees find and understand the significance and purpose in working. When considering the difference between managing and leading, Dean Fitch asserted a strong opinion about these two factors being very different.

Leadership Philosophy:

        Managing leadership style relates more to worrying about employees and activities by each one. Micromanaging employees is another form of management style of leadership. Dean Fitch disagrees with this method. She prefers the leading approach as an academic dean. Similar to family elements and interactions, she advocates for individuals to grow as employees and create an emotional and caring role within the institution.

        In an academic setting, the micromanaging role is not as productive or effective. She said employees need to feel a sense of autonomy at work. Hence, when discussing her personal philosophy of leadership, Dean Fitch relates directly to one book amongst the several leadership books on her bookshelf. She directly quotes from The New York Times best seller, “Leaders Eat Last: Why Some Teams Pull Together and Others Don't,” by Simon Sinek.

        The quote relates to leaders eating last to illustrate the importance placed on employees. Thereby, employees eat first in a banquet line for food while an employer should be at the end of the line. Consequently, employees feel more important by completing this action. A sense of safety, security and care emerges by the actions demonstrated in this scenario. Employees know the leader cares for each one and understands this significance by witnessing the actions of the leader.

        Dean Fitch added that she wishes to foster a strong sense of care and understanding for each of her employees.

        “Everyone takes care of the leader,” Fitch said. “The leader takes care of everyone.”

        In conclusion, if an employee sees Dean Fitch at the end of the line, then he or she will know why.

Empathy:

        During her tenure as the academic dean, she mentions one specific skill attained over the other ones: empathy. She believes in considering the mental thoughts and condition for each employee. By relating to employees from a leadership position, she creates a strong sense of empathy for each employee.

        Often times, she approaches employees and asks about personal wealth fares as opposed to classroom issues. Additionally, she continues to teach in the classroom for at least one class for most semesters. Dean Fitch wants to stay close to the classroom in order to understand more about the struggles and challenges facing faculty members at the college.

        When it comes to communication, she exemplifies a broad and open concept throughout her daily interactions. Additionally, she leads with charm and often laughs throughout the day to illustrate a more charismatic leadership approach. During the interview, she would often times laugh and smile in-between questions. Additionally, I have often heard her laughing and engaging with other administrative individuals within the office with a positive and charismatic tone. At the same time, she has a serious side to administrative matters depending on the subject matter.

        Dean Fitch characterizes her style of leadership as “servant leadership.” It embodies an approach to caring for others and enriching the lives of individuals, one at a time. Consequently, this approach strengthens the organization from within by creating a sense of care.

        Dean Fitch’s “servant leadership” style creates a strong sense of care by employees across the campus. Not only does she care for employees, but she takes risks in making tough decisions, especially campus funding considerations. Sometimes, she has to cut the budget and make more room for new employees without being able to build additional offices for these employees.

        When approaching this task, she openly explains the situation to each individual and honestly shares the challenges with attaining a new office space for the individual. This honesty is another high priority factor in her leadership style.

        Last of all, when asked about how she learned leadership, she said, “We learn by making mistakes. You can read. You can read books all day, and I have read a ton of them. We try to get better at it, but I think we learn by making mistakes. So, it takes time… It is a combination of experience and dedicating yourself to it.”

        She mentioned using individual skills, which helps, but the need to dedicate time and willingness to learn from mistakes.

Conclusion:

        Calmness is part of Dean Fitch’s leadership style, which she admired from other administrators at Motlow State Community College. When pressure builds during certain situations at work, she considers the calmness element as an essential part of leadership. Additionally, she wants the employees and staff to realize this trait when seeing her actively engage to overcome the problem. She believes in responding and not reacting to problems: “How to respond and not react.”

        At the same time, she believes in learning from mistakes. In these types of situations, she might make a decision where several employees or individuals do not agree, but she has to accept this fact. She understands the risks and the challenges with individuals not agreeing with her decision. Nonetheless, she stands by her decisions, which shows her leadership to all.    Moreover, she believes in being respected more than being loved as a leader. In the end, she wishes to continue as a leader in higher education and make a difference.

2018 Orientation Has Begun!!!

By Ramona Shelton

Motlow Buzz Managing Editor

            SMYRNA -- With Motlow being one of the fastest growing community colleges in the country and with so much of that growth being at the Smyrna Center, making sure our new students have the best possible preparation for the upcoming fall semester is priority number one for the Orientation Team.

            Motlow’s Orientation Team is made up of faculty, staff, alumni and community members who go through an intense set of training sessions to learn the most up-to-date information to help guide incoming freshmen to success. All new first-time freshmen go through the orientation process to make sure they are ready to walk into day one of classes.

            According to Gary Winton, assistant director of recruitment and new student services, orientations are designed to not only introduce new students to Motlow but also give them the opportunity to finalize any outstanding requirements before classes officially start. 

Future Motlow Smyrna students attend a recent orientation (Photo by Ramona Shelton)

            Students check in at the welcome table just inside the front door where they are given name tags and a student planner. Quite often, students who have never met each other before bond before even reaching the next part of the day. At orientation on a recent Friday, several students who used the wait time before their group started became so connected that they requested to stick together as a unit for the rest of the day!

            After checking in, the new students get to meet someone who will be one of their biggest cheerleaders all the way through their Motlow experience -- their completion coach. Between the completion coaches and the faculty advisors (as well as the rest of the Motlow crew!), Motlow students have a support system from the first day they walk through the door all the way until they walk across that stage at graduation.

            New students also get introduced to the technology they will be using at Motlow. Orientees have the chance to access their Motlow email accounts and their MyMotlow accounts, two things they will be very proficient at using by the time they get to graduation. For these students, the technology presentation also gives them the first look at D2L, Motlow’s online campus system. D2L isn’t just for fully online classes; many professors have web enhanced classes that utilize D2L for testing, communication and file sharing.

            The next steps at orientation are advising and registration. This is the meat and potatoes of “what classes am I going to take.” Orientation team advisors walk through orientees’ chosen programs and help them plan their first steps in coursework. At registration, orientees get to work with the advisors to sign up for their first semester’s classes. Any students interested in the Motlow Honors Program also have the opportunity to meet with an Honors advisor to help them start down that path if they qualify for Honors.

            Finally, new students hit the check-out process. This is their final opportunity of the day to tackle any financial aid, Tennessee Promise, or Tennessee Reconnect questions. In addition to receiving a parting gift, orientees have the opportunity to take care of some practical things as well, getting their IDs and parking passes in a place in which they will spend a lot of time during their Motlow tenure -- the Smyrna Campus Library.

Gary Winton Prepares for an orientation session on the Motlow Smyrna campus (photo by Ramona Shelton)

            While at orientation, new students get to meet so many people who understand their Motlow journey. Spring 2018 graduate (and Motlow Buzz contributing writer) Emma Sagor is a new part of the Orientation Team this summer. Emma loves being able to share her Motlow experiences with our new students. Another new member of the team is speech professor Debbie Stockdale, who says that she is so glad she chose to be a part of this group. Being a part of the Orientation Team has added a new dimension to her experience as an instructor. Guiding new students through the advising and course selection process has increased the satisfaction she has as a teacher. It has also allowed her to meet and work with so many members of the Motlow Smyrna family!

            Motlow Smyrna is most definitely growing! During the Summer 2018 orientation sessions, the team saw 920 new students. At the session on July 13, nearly 140 orientees were welcomed to Motlow Smyrna! A low estimate is that there will be another 600 who go through the process before classes start in August.

            If you are interested in the Orientation Team, the orientation process, or have a friend who would enjoy being at Motlow, please contact Gary Winton at gwinton@mscc.edu. 

Smyrna Campus Academic Dean Welcomes Students

Welcome Students!

I hope you all had a very restful break and are as excited as I am about the start of classes. We have a lot to look forward to this semester.

First, construction on the new facility and additional parking will finally begin in mid-March. The new 80,000-square-foot facility plans are finished, and the building is on schedule to be completed by July 2019. By the conclusion of this semester, our campus will be bustling with construction activity, and will have 650 additional parking spaces! These additional spaces will be very welcomed, and will be coming just in time for the surge in enrollment we are expecting from TN Reconnect.

Second, we have several new programs beginning this semester. New to the Smyrna Campus in the Spring 2018 schedule are Cybersecurity, Medical Lab Coding, and prerequisite courses for our Medical Lab Technician Program, which will accept the first cohort of students in Fall 2018. Additionally, we just signed an articulation agreement with the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith that will allow qualifying students who have completed their associate degree at Motlow to work toward B.A.S. degrees online. The Academic Unit is also pursuing an A.S. degree in Concrete Management with an articulation agreement with MTSU’s Bachelor Program, and is researching a Dental Assisting Program and Sonography Program in hopes that we can offer these programs around the time our new facility opens. We also plan to bring our EMT program to the Smyrna Campus in Spring 2020 once renovations of our current facilities are complete. All of this hard work on program development is in effort to ensure our students and community have every opportunity to attain better income, better jobs, and better lives for their families.

Finally, I encourage you take advantage of all the opportunities you have to gain support and build connections with fellow students, faculty and staff on campus. You can do this by joining a club, interacting with faculty and staff outside of class at numerous campus events, and by taking advantage of the Writing Center, free tutoring, and the Math Lab located in our Student Success Center. We truly have a unique group of caring individuals dedicated to their professions and to your success. Please do not hesitate to reach out for assistance. We all hope you have a great semester, and we look forward to seeing many of you graduate in May!

Cheers,

Elizabeth Fitch

Smyrna Campus Academic Dean