Contact: Sharon Fisher
May 19, 2008

Graduating with more than an education

One might think that managing a household with six children would keep Tina Willis from going back to school.  But at thirty-two years of age, she realized, “I did not want to get stuck in a dead-end job, and I want my girls to understand how to prepare to take care of themselves.”

Tina overcame her fears of inadequacy after dropping out of college at age seventeen, and is now graduating with an Associate of Applied Science degree in Business Management and Accounting.  But she found much more than an education at Mountain Empire Community College.  She found friends and mutual support from fellow students Brenda Banks and Shea Shuler.

Their professor and advisor Gary Bumgarner calls them the three amigos and says, “I realized as I observed them interact these past two years that most likely one, two, or none of them would have graduated without the help of the others.  Two years ago these ladies did not know each other. Now through their experiences and involvement in college clubs and activities they have developed life-long friendships.”

For Brenda Banks the decision to go back to college was determined by her health, which included two knee replacements.  After working for many years as an LPN, she could no longer handle the physical demands of the job.  She refused to listen to those who said she was too old to go back to school, saying “I wanted to show my grandson that I could get more education and not have to wallow in my sorrows.” Brenda is also receiving her Associate of Applied Science degree in Business Management and Accounting.

Shea Shuler’s draw back to college was her two daughters, ages seven and eight.  “I wanted them to know Mommy could do this and be a role model for them.”  But she adds, “I was petrified.  Brenda saved me the first day of class when she said, ‘Come on in and sit down.’ She was my lifesaver.”  Shea is graduating with her Associate of Applied Science degree in Business Management.

Completing their degrees in two years is also a hallmark of the support these women gave to each other.  Less than one in five of their fellow students will complete their degrees in this amount of time due to the demands of work, family and college.  Many go back and forth from being full-time and part-time students.

“We made our schedules together,” says Shea.  “And I knew when I had to miss class to take my daughter to the Shriner’s hospital in North Carolina, they would keep me caught up.”  Brenda adds, “We would always call and check on each other.”  Also owing to their success was Tina’s simple statement of fact, “We rarely missed class.”

Professor Bumgarner nominated Tina, Brenda and Shea as ‘Exceptional Students,’ an MECC award given to students who overcome great odds to be successful in college. 

He wrote about Brenda, “She is a pillar of persistence and an uplifting presence. Her dedication to her studies is legendary. In preparing for major surgery, she insisted that her family pack her accounting text for the trip to the hospital and called her instructor during recovery for assistance on a chapter problem she didn’t understand. Through no fault of her own, primarily medical expenses, she has encountered severe financial hardships. She did not throw up her hands and give up, but found work, sometimes holding down two part-time jobs. She helps take care of her mother with Alzheimer’s disease.  And through it all she has maintained her high spirits.”

His nomination for Shea included the following, “When encountering Shea one-on-one or in a group setting like a class or club meeting she personifies extroversion. The extroversion is forced because Shea suffers from deep anxiety when facing new situations and must fight a strong desire to withdraw. Shea is persistent and exhibits a strong desire for learning. She is not satisfied in getting the right answer but strives for understanding the underlying concepts to gain the knowledge to apply the concepts in real world situations.  Shea does not throw up her hands either but takes action including holding a variety of jobs to help with household expenses.”

“Tina,” wrote Bumgarner, “exemplifies the image of cool and calm with a focus on results. Her academic work is of the highest quality. She reminds me of the saying, ‘A hostess must be like a duck swimming - cool and unruffled on the surface and paddling like hell underneath’. She is married to a Virginia National Guard non-commissioned officer who must frequently be away from home. Her family operates a farm and she showed me pictures of twin calves born recently. Of course, their arrival did not occur at the most convenient time regarding due dates of major class assignments. Tina explained the situation to her instructors, asked for an extension, and completed her assignments as promised and in her typically thorough and comprehensive style.”

What’s ahead for these best friends?  Tina says the immediate future includes farming this summer, getting her youngest ready for school this fall, and using her new accounting skills to help with the family business.  Brenda is looking for her first job in management, stating “I have a compassion for people. I want to help them learn how to manage their finances.”  For Shea her long-term interest is in owning a small business, perhaps starting with a bakery and then an entertainment center for young people.

Their future is sure to include each other.  Asked what it means to have these friendships,  Brenda says, “Working with these two women has taught me to believe in myself, don’t give up, just stay calm, and you can do it.”  Shea states, “Brenda saved me from running out of class my first day with a smile of welcome, and Tina has been a source of strength and commiseration over due dates and sick kids.”  Tina adds, “They made classes fun. Always laughing at and with one another dropped the stress level tremendously.  Initial entrance to college is scary. My new friends helped reduce the stress.”

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