In early 1994, S.O.A.R. counselor Dr. Jeannette Murray left the Hawaiian paradise she had called home for several years, returning to the east coast. Born in the state of New York and knowing she wanted to remain in the eastern part of the country, Dr. Murray chose Raleigh, NC as her starting point. A Raleigh newspaper ad for a counselor at Mayland Community College in Spruce Pine, led her to the mountains of North Carolina, to the Yancey County home she shares with her beloved pets, the wildlife she loves to watch, and the flowers she tends and so graciously shares with others each year.

Dr. Murray began her career at MCC as a Personal/Academic Counselor for S.O.A.R. in October 1994, providing personal and academic counseling to groups and individuals, teaching study skills, and doing workshops in many areas of academic and personal growth. Her warm and understanding personality, and her ability to help an individual find solutions for both academic and personal issues, has allowed her to help hundreds of MCC students reach their personal and educational goals. Many of them credit her with their successes, and many of them have taken what they learned from her and went on to help others achieve their goals.

The end of Fall semester, December 2018, will see the end of an era—Dr. Murray is retiring. She has been a member of our family for twenty-four years and we will miss her greatly.

ALOHA! By Debra Barnett

Debbie Stafford

Director

828-766-1281

dstafford@mayland.edu

Jeannette Murray

Counselor

828-766-1261

jmurray@mayland.edu

Dora Smith

Transfer Counselor

828-766-1260

dsmith@mayland.edu

Debra Cagle

Administrative Assistant

828-766-1263

dcagle@mayland.edu

Website-www.mayland.edu/SOAR

Facebook-SOAR at Mayland Community College

Twitter-SOAR Program at MCC

Volume 24 , I ssue 1

October 2018

TALON

S.O.A.R . PROGRAM NEWSLETTER

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

Transfer Corner 2

FAFSA 3

New S.O.A.R. Students 3

Birthdays 3

S.O.A.R. Soup Drop-in 4

Tutors and Lab Tech 4

Money Management 4

Student Support Services Program

The S.O.A.R. Staff

Who’s on the List? (Summer semester)

Alexis Beaver

Santana Buchanan

Journee Glenn

Catherine Honeycutt

Hannah Ingram

Dima Jabakji

Regina McCourry

Lillian Schell

Amy Sonier

Jordan Steinbaugh

Haley Wilson

HONOR ROLL

Volume 24 , I ssue 1 Page 2

Visit college campuses with S.O.A.R.!

Did you know that you can visit local college campuses, free of charge, with S.O.A.R.? This semester, S.O.A.R. students have already visited Appalachian State University and East Tennessee State University with Dora Smith, the S.O.A.R. Transfer Counselor. The trips include transportation, a transfer admissions presentation, a campus tour, and meetings with representatives from each student’s intended major.

S.O.A.R. student Bryson Hicks talks with Dr. Samuels, assistant professor of Geosciences, in one of ETSU’s paleontology labs. If you are interested in visiting a local college campus with S.O.A.R., let your counselor know!

Transfer Corner

Former S.O.A.R. Students Graduate!

This spring, several former S.O.A.R. students earned bachelor’s degrees.

Stephanie Stroupe graduated from Mars Hill University with a Bachelor’s of Social Work.

Emilee Crowder graduated from Mars Hill University with a Bachelor’s in Business Administration.

Tyler Honeycutt graduated from Appalachian State University with a Bachelor’s in Public Relations.

In addition, Tyler Byrd graduated from South College with his Associate in Applied Science in Physical Therapy Assistance.

Congratulations to our hardworking students!

S.O.A.R. Transfers

This fall, several S.O.A.R. students transferred from MCC to two- or four-year schools. We are wish-ing these students the very best as they work towards their goals!

Jared Jaynes and Mary Burleson transferred to Appalachian State University. Dima Jabakji and Jordan Trivette transferred to East Tennessee State University. Logan Guinn transferred to Wilkes Community College. Jennifer Guerrero, Tabitha Schwebke, and Makayla Clark transferred to Lees-McRae College.

FAFSA Reminder:

The FAFSA application for the 2019-2020 academic year opened on October 1, 2018.

Remember , you will need to use your 2017 Tax information to complete the FAFSA. Get yours completed today!

Page 3

September

5-Johnnie Masterson

6-Hailey Elkins

Amberly Glover

7-Jessica Biggs

8-Alyssa Ayers

9-Christina Pooser

14-Jordan Steinbaugh

18-Abigail Angel

28-Ashley Mina

29-Destiny Kanipe

30-Somer Webb

October

5-Sabrina Wheeler

7-Hope McLaughlin

11-Kaleb Tipton

12-Carolina Fleming

13-Campbell Barnes

14-Danyele Hall

24-Natalia Pineda

27-Kerri Honeycutt

November

1-Laura Miller

4-Ann Bryant

7-Jim Forbes

Hunter Huffman

8-Ashley Fortner

10-Derrick Thomas

13-Savannah Gibson

Edward Staton

15-Amy Sonier

17-James Whitney

21-Aaron Carlisle

Noah Sedberry

25-Bryson Hicks

Terri Ingram

29-Jasmine Thornton

December

2-Kaeleigh Griggs

9-Dylan Cook

Jennifer Sherrill

13-Lynn Hilbert

14-Jonathan Byrd

Sheryl Wilhelm

17-Christopher Ingram

John McPherson

18-Kevin Cutshall

Megan Duncan

20-Jessica Howard

22-Leeanna Sparks

27-Tabitha Callahan

30-Victoria Hoilmon

Watasha Manuel

Kerri Honeycutt

Jamie Jennings

Matthew Johnson

Paisley King

Maribel Martinez Astello

Holly Maynor

Regina McCourry

Meredith McGee

Natalia Pineda

Jasmine Phillips

Patrick Phillips

Christina Pooser

Karen Presnell

Katelyn Rathbone

Alyssa Ayers

Zoe Berry

Leah Blackburn

April Bowen

Madison Charlton

Haven Dennie

Jansen Dickerson

Benjamin Edwards

Hailey Elkins

Savannah Gibson

Bryson Hicks

Lynn Hilbert

Victoria Hoilmon

Catherine Honeycutt

Lauren Robinson

Della Seekins

Jennifer Sherrill

Noah Shoupe

Elizabeth Silvers

Amy Sonier

Jordan Steinbaugh

Ashley Tehandon

Derrick Thomas

Tiana Thomason

Kierstyn VanHook

Sabrina Wheeler

Tina Whitehead

Haley Wilson

Birthdays

New S.O.A.R. Students

TALON Page 4

1. Take charge of your life and your money by defining goals, making plans, and taking action.

2. Get organized by creating a physical and digital filing system for financial paperwork.

3. Protect your personal information by safeguarding your Social Security number and shredding financial documents before discarding them.

4. Understand your financial aid by examining the terms of each scholarship, or grant and by reviewing requirements of work-study jobs.

5. Talk to a financial aid officer if your situation changes.

6. Prepare for your career by getting your resume ready.

7. Create a budget and stick to it.

8. Take control of your credit card and avoid running up balances.

9. Seek help from a financial aid officer or debt counselor if you get into debt trouble.

10. Pay yourself first by getting into the savings habit. Put your money to work for you earning interest. Whenever you get a paycheck, deposit part of it into a savings account.

Remember: Net worth is not the same as self-worth.

S.O.A.R. would like to introduce our tutors for this semester.

We have Cassidy Barnes, Lauren Buchanan, Robert “CJ” Jobe, Isaac Ledford, and Judy Smith, providing tutoring in many different areas. If you need a tutor, come by the S.O.A.R. office or see your

counselor for a “Request for Tutoring” form.

Also, Santana Buchanan is our Peer Advisor/Lab Technician this semester. Her Lab Hours are

posted on the S.O.A.R. office door, if you need computer assistance.

10 Money Management Tips for the College Student

S.O.A.R. Tutors and

N.E.S.T. Lab Technician

S.O.A.R. Soup Drop-in

The S.O.A.R. staff would like to announce the annual Soup Drop-In for our students.

The Soup Drop-In will be on Tuesday, November 6th from 11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. in the S.O.A.R. area. Please come by and enjoy some soup, bread/crackers and dessert.