South College graduate Valerie Dale
Valerie Dale was a President’s List scholar during her time at South College. She was active and involved in school and full of enthusiasm. She also held a full time job and was raising two teenagers.
I am constantly impressed by our students here at South College –students like Valerie Dale.
At our recent graduation ceremony, Valerie received the Presidential Award for scholarship, service and leadership. She also received the Bachelor’s in Business Administration Outstanding Student Award. She obviously made an impact while she was with us at South College. She was an exceptional scholar and served on the student appeals committee.
But like many of our students, Valerie’s education wasn’t the only thing she had to focus on while earning her degree.
We have many non-traditional students, adults who return to school to get a degree, and that takes a huge amount of desire and commitment. It is not easy to juggle the responsibilities of a job, school, family, homework and life all at once. And when these students add service and involvement in campus life to the mix, I know it takes a great deal of effort.
Valerie Dale is one of those students who has accomplished so much while at South College, and she has found great rewards for her efforts. She has shared her enthusiasm for education with her children and used her newly acquired knowledge plus a connection she made at our South College Career Fair to land the job she was looking for.
“South College is a wonderful place,” said Valerie. “I will miss it so much. It’s the small class sizes and the availability of the staff that help you succeed.”
Valerie credits our faculty and staff at South College for providing the guidance and direction which helped her obtain her degree. She credits her husband and friends with providing the support she needed to get through. But I know it was her efforts and desires, her enthusiasm and determination that have enabled Valerie to follow her dreams.
Hello, Steve. What a wonderfully inspiring story. The state of Tennessee is blessed to have outstanding citizens like Valerie Dale. We are also very thankful to have an institution of excellence like South College preparing non-traditional students like Valerie for a bright future in this global marketplace. Thank you for all you and South College are doing to give direction to big dreamers like Valerie.