Supporting students remotely
March 30, 2020
While Ashland Community and Technical College’s classes have gone remote, so have most of its student services. Despite the change in delivery method, ACTC’s employees are dedicated to providing the best support possible to its students.
While campus operations are online, we wanted to highlight our employees and introduce them to the public, who may not know them, and explain how they are helping students from home during this time.
Name: Jennifer Allen
City of Residence: Russell, Ky.
Education: ACTC Associate in Applied Science, business (2005), ACTC Associate in Science (2010), and Morehead State University, bachelor’s degree in business administration (2015).
Role(s) at ACTC and how you interact with students: Academic advisor and transfer advisor – MSU liaison.
How long have you been with ACTC? 10 years this June
What are your favorite things about working at ACTC? Meeting and helping people in our community, to better their future and achieve personal goals through higher education.
Special accomplishments while working at ACTC? Earned a bachelor’s degree at MSU
How would your co-workers describe you? Friendly and helpful (I hope)
If the students I work with learn one thing, I hope it is… How to set personal goals and celebrate the small accomplishments along the way.
How are you assisting students during the pandemic and what should students know about your area of service during this time? I am still as available as always, just email me!
Name: Orlando Currie
City of Residence: Portsmouth, Ohio
Education: Shawnee State University, bachelor's degree in sports management (2017)
Role(s) at ACTC and how you interact with students: Academic advisor, coordinator of Student Government Association and student activities.
As an academic advisor, I interact with students through course registration. I assist students with registering for fall, spring or summer courses. I also help them reach their academic goals with ACTC, and future goals, whether that's going into the workforce or to a four-year institution. As coordinator of SGA and student activities, I get to interact more with students on a personal level. With my SGA students, I help them get involved at ACTC, give them the reins as far as creativeness and independence when it comes to events, help build their resumes and encourage networking at conferences with other students/universities. For the student body, I get to bring them exciting events and programs.
How long have you been with ACTC? I have been at ACTC for a year and a half.
What are your favorite things about working at ACTC? My favorite thing about working at ACTC is being able to impact students’ lives, as well as the family culture within ACTC.
Special accomplishments while working at ACTC? SGA's Pathfinder Party on the Lawn event was by far one of my most meaningful accomplishments. Seeing how great that event was after all the hard work and effort that was put in by the SGA students, Chrisha Spears, faculty/ staff employees and myself. It is one accomplishment I will never forget.
How would your co-workers describe you? I would like to think my co-workers would describe me as positive, hardworking and reliable. I try to portray those characteristics in all that I do.
Who is your biggest role model and why? My grandmother, who I call Nana, is my biggest role model. Even though she passed away when I was young, I always remember her work ethic, it was unmatched. She would have more things done by 10 a.m. than most people would have done in a day. Her confidence was amazing as well. You couldn't tell her she couldn't do anything, and she instilled that in her kids, grandchildren and everyone she interacted with. She was one of those individuals who, when she spoke, everyone paid attention and listened.
If the students I work with learn one thing, I hope it is…That believing in yourself can take you a long way. The only person who can stop you from succeeding is yourself. Like everything in life, there will be challenges with your journey, but you have the support of myself and everyone at ACTC. We are a family, and our motto is true: Your success equals our success. Keep fighting.
How are you assisting students during the pandemic and what should students know about your area of service during this time? I'm am assisting students by continuing my operations from home. I'll be contacting them through email, phone, etc. about registering for summer/fall courses. Checking in to see how they are doing personally through this pandemic. As far as advising, we are here to assist you in registration of your courses, or any or general questions you may have. With coordinator of SGA/student activities, we are on hold for a while until we can start doing events again, but Chrisha Spears and I are always on the lookout for eager students looking to get involved. So, if you’re a student who is interested, contact us.
Name: Chrisha Spears
City of Residence: Ashland, Ky.
Education: ACTC, Associates in Applied Science, business administration (2004); Morehead State University, bachelor’s in university studies (2014); Morehead State University, Master of Arts, adult and higher education (2017); Morehead State University, Master of Arts, P-12 school counseling.
Role(s) at ACTC and how you interact with students: GED+ coordinator – recruit, enroll, academic advisor, success coach for GED seeking students; student affairs specialist – includes student activities and student government; manager of Pathfinder Pantry; coordinator for Young Women LEAD; coordinator for Young Men’s Conference
How long have you been with ACTC? It will be 10 years in June.
What are your favorite things about working at ACTC? I love working with students who don’t recognize their own potential. I enjoy helping them see that there is a way for them to achieve successes. It may not be tomorrow, but they will get there. How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. How do you earn a college degree? One semester, one certificate/diploma at a time.
Special accomplishments while working at ACTC? Employee Success winner several times. ACTC Staff Excellence winner in 2016.
How would your co-workers describe you? Encouraging, persistent.
Who is your biggest role model and why? My students have become my role models. I had been a student for 10 years while working full-time, being a single mom, a homeowner and caring for family. I understand their struggles and if I see that they can achieve, then I can, too. I openly share my story with them – we feed encouragement to one another.
If the students I work with learn one thing, I hope it is… Don’t give up. Life will present obstacles. Learn the difference between a speed bump, detour and roadblock. Speedbump: Back up and try again, give it a little more effort. Detour: OK, it’s not what I planned, but there is a way that I can still succeed. Roadblock: It’s OK and it’s not necessarily permanent. I will keep trying to find another way, another route.
How are you assisting students during the pandemic and what should students know about your area of service during this time? I am sending and answering emails from home. I have asked the instructors to add me to their Blackboard classes and Google classrooms so that I can attempt to provide technical support/guidance without interfering in the actual coursework. I miss my Skills U family and students and look forward to traveling to my five counties and seeing everyone again!
