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Banquet Honors Sudent Support Services Successes
by Sable Adams
Student Support Services of Mars Hill College hosted its 20th anniversary recognition banquet on April 22 at the Mars Hill Baptist Church Fellowship Hall.
One goal of the banquet was to recognize students who have worked extremely hard throughout the year and stand out to the SSS staff. Among those recognized were the 2007-2008 SSS Academic Scholarship recipients, Julian Cuthbertson, Trini Fares, and Mallory Trasport.
Another goal was to feature student success stories -- graduates of the program who have received their degrees from Mars Hill College and have gone on to graduate school or careers.
Sean Aaron Kelley graduated in 1997 with a BA in Communications. He now resides in St. Petersburg, Fla. and owns a heating and cooling business called Professional Mechanical Contractors Inc.
He said he learned that "College isn't a game, it's a job." SSS advisors helped him prioritize by making sure he had a set schedule. They also helped him with good decision making skills. "Think about what you want to be. Life can be vicious. You have to stay above water," said Kelly.
Another guest speaker was William Hemphill, who graduated from Mars Hill College in 1992 with a bachelor of science in physical education. Hemphill is now a state trooper with the highway patrol, and has been with them for 16 years
He said SSS provided him with the support of study skills and discipline. In high school he had had been a jock and "school was a breeze." But in college, he found that classes were much harder. His biggest struggle was to set priorities.
Richard and Debi Drecksler spoke about their son, Jason Ora Wunsch, who graduated from Mars Hill in 1996 with a bachelor of arts in history-secondary education. He went on to graduate from Campbell University Law School in 1999 and now has law offices in two North Carolina communities.
The other student success stories were:
- Kathryn Suzanne Collins, social work major, MHC 1992. She then went to graduate school and eventually earned a doctorate from the University of South Carolina. She is now an associate professor at the University of Maryland.
- Sylvonne Kenyatta Cox, biology major, MHC 2000. She went on to earn a master's degree in physician assistant studies and is now working for a pulmonology and critical care private practice in Savannah, Ga.
- Eydie Pittman Jones, English major, religion minor, MHC 2001. Jones is now an associate minister to families in Jasper, Ga.
- Laura Jackson Klein, music performance major, MHC 2006. Klein is now teaching piano at Walla Walla University in Washington state.
- Christy Toncray Stipes, computer science major, MHC 1999. Stipes is now an implementation specialist for a medical software company called QRS (Quality Rep. Services Inc.: Healthcare Solutions).
The SSS program, located on the first floor of Marshbanks, offers a host of free services -- peer tutoring, supplemental instruction in selected courses, the SSS Computer Lab and Resource Center, the SSS Study Center, basic skills training, time management skills and many various workshops, access to a number of grants and scholarships , and even an occasional free lunch. Off-campus activities, such as attending the Biltmore House, aim to help students stay involved and broaden their cultural appreciation.
Funding comes from a Federal grant, which must be renewed every four years. Guidelines limit it to serving 160 students who meet one or more of three criteria. The student must be a first-generation college student in their family. This means neither of the parents have a four-year degree. The student must also meet family or personal income levels based on federal guidelines or have a documented disability. Also, once accepted, students must have a brief meeting every two weeks with their assigned SSS advisor.
 Click for story of Jason Wunsch
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