President's Address to Highlight Finish Line Initiative
Approaching the one-year mark as president of the College, Dr. Towuanna Porter Brannon is preparing for a major internal speaking engagement. At the 2021 State of the College Address and Employee Awards Ceremony, scheduled for Nov. 5 from 2-4 p.m., she will discuss highlights since her hiring at the beginning of the year, along with her vision for the College's future.
One of the successes to be mentioned will be the Finish Line Initiative, which Brannon proposed. Student Affairs Vice President Kris Rarig said the program involved reaching out to students who had stopped attending in the past few semesters. She and Steven Felker, director of Institutional Research and Effectiveness, emailed about 3,000 students.
"A simple survey was sent to the students asking if they would like assistance returning to finish the program they started," Rarig said.
Students who showed an interest were paired with an academic adviser, who provided assistance. Rarig said 102 students eventually re-enrolled at the College.
"Some students were looking to change their programs, some were unsure where to pick back up," Rarig said.
Vernon Mason, who attended Thomas Nelson in the 2018-19 academic year, is among those who returned this semester. He was impressed with the College's outreach.
"I actually got a letter from the president," he said. "It caught me by surprise because I wasn't expecting anything. I'm just another ordinary student trying to finish up my degree."
Mason graduated from Heritage High School, attended Chowan University from 2009-11, and has worked at Newport News Shipbuilding for eight years. He estimates he needs 29 more credits to earn his associate degree in Business Administration, and eventually wants to transfer to a four-year school.
He thought about returning to Thomas Nelson last spring, and is confident he would have eventually. But with the support of family, friends and the College, he was able to do it this semester.
"I'm thankful for the opportunity to continue my education," he said.
Another student who has returned is Tasha Smith, although she has changed her area of study from theology to nursing. She started at Thomas Nelson in summer 2019, but life got in the way, and then the pandemic hit. She's also working on a divinity degree from Regent University.
"I have a desire to be a nurse," she said. "I wanted to mix the master's of divinity program with nursing."
Smith, 40, needs two classes to be eligible for Thomas Nelson's nursing program. She has a business degree from Hampton University and has been a home-health administrator for about five years.
"I always had the intention of returning to school," she said.
DeAnna Andrews enrolled at Thomas Nelson for the spring 2020 semester, but work and life obligations soon took precedence. She's a nurse at Riverside but wants to become a fire department paramedic. She has three semesters to go. She's happy to be back at school, and has been impressed by her professors.
"They're always willing to help," she said. "If I need some extra help, all I have to do is go to the professor and they're willing to give me more work or help me with what I need. I'm glad to be studying again."