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Employee Wright graduates
Nancy Wright, a Pellissippi State employee, proves that time and
age are not deterrents in earning a college degree. Wright received
her diploma on Friday.
The timing couldn’t be better either.
“Adazia, my granddaughter, graduates from kindergarten end
of this week. Now, we can proudly wear our caps and gowns together,”
said Wright.
 Wright
is an advocate for going to college right out of high school and
believes education should be a number one priority for young people.
She says that too many distractions can deter a student from ever
attending.
Not going directly to college after high school did not stop Wright
from eventually attaining her degree, however.
After beginning a career as a flight attendant, she planned on
staying in the field until retirement.
“I didn’t have a plan B or C, and I had no higher
education,” said Wright. “Furthermore, unlike some
of my fellow flight attendants, I didn’t see the need to
take college courses part time.”
When Wright’s daughter, now 31, was diagnosed with severe
juvenile diabetes at age 6, plan A—Wright’s only plan—had
to change.
“I was often gone for a couple days at a time or overnight,”
said Wright, but that couldn’t continue.
Finally, she was left with no choice but to take a leave of absence
in order to take care of her daughter. She says she hoped to return
to the job but found her daughter’s health prevented it.
“I had no education and no computer skills,” said
Wright, “but I found my way to the Moses Center, which assessed
my skills and provided job contacts and mentoring.”
With the help of the center, Wright obtained a job at Regas Restaurant
as a cocktail waitress, and before long, she found herself at
Pellissippi State.
She began taking classes for environmental engineering and was
one of 10 African-American students selected to participate as
a peer tutor in a pilot program to help students in math and English.
“Someone at the College has always come through for me,”
said Wright.
In fact, before long she was offered a temporary position as a
Learning Center assistant at the Division Street Campus. There,
she helped students manage their time and motivated them to succeed.
When funds for the Learning Center position ran out, she was offered
a permanent position at that campus. She later became a technical
clerk in the Admissions and Records Office on the Pellissippi
Campus, and is now the evening secretary at the Magnolia Avenue
Campus.
Whatever the position, Wright has never ceased being in the role
of a motivator.
“I was always one of those kids who loved school,”
said Wright, “and to be in a position to encourage so many
students is a true blessing.
“A student may perform poorly in one area, but I will point
out to the student the areas in which he or she excels.”
“Nancy has a positive outlook, is helpful and makes people
feel comfortable,” said Sheryl Burnette, registrar at Pellissippi
State.
Wright’s nearly 20-year journey to graduation has not been
a short one, but as Melanie Paradise, manager of Records, said,
“Nancy has juggled many responsibilities, but she is always
positive and persistent in achieving her goal.”
Along the way, Wright’s daughter graduated from Pellissippi
State and Wright became a grandmother. She also overcame a health
problem and reading disability.
“Sure, there were setbacks, but I continued taking classes
one by one, and my dream of completing college came true,”
said Wright.
Not only did she earn a diploma, but she was also one of the recipients
of an Outstanding Student Honor, the African-American Excellence
Award.
“It doesn’t matter how long this has taken me,”
said Wright. “The journey has been wonderful.”
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