Radiologic Technology student Clarissa McIntyre will speak at the Legacy Scholarship Reception.
Clarissa McIntyre is a Determined Student
Truckee Meadows Community College student Clarissa McIntyre was looking for a solid foundation on which to rebuild her life, and ended up creating her own solid base from sheer determination and grit.
After a divorce, she struggled to support her children and household on a minimum wage job and knew that a college education would help her provide a better life for her family. She enrolled at TMCC hoping to major in Radiologic Technology, but struggled at first with the biology and math prerequisites.
A turning point came when a biology instructor asked whether she might want to consider another career field besides radiology. In questioning her path, the teacher lit a fire under McIntyre, and she became determined more than ever to achieve her degree.
“Tenacity and perseverance were all I had going for me, and I was blessed to cross paths with instructors like Paula Farrenkopf and Patricia Cullinan, another amazing English teacher at TMCC—they are truly passionate about teaching and helping students learn,” she said.
She also looks up to her teachers Warren Hejny and Eddy Burke. Her coursework and grades soon started to soar.
“You don’t realize how strong you are until strong is your only option,” she added.
Now that McIntyre is well on her way to graduate, she would like to continue volunteering with the Nevada Women’s Fund. She spoke at the organization’s scholarship reception on Sept. 26, and will also be a guest speaker at the TMCC Legacy Scholarship event on Oct. 6.
“The future is bright and I know that I am capable of anything I set my mind to,” she said.
McIntyre would also like to help fellow students when they face what might seem to them as an insurmountable obstacle.
“I hope my journey helps anyone who feels like they can no longer go on—it’s too hard, I know, but that’s what life is all about,” she said. “The only limit you have is the limit you put on yourself.”
Professor Brian Fletcher Gains QM Approval
Political Science Professor Brian Fletcher has been awarded his second Quality Matters certification for the online course PSC 231: Introduction to International Relations.
Quality Matters (QM) is a nonprofit organization that provides an academic peer-review process to recognize excellence in instruction. QM certifications verify college classes as superior Web-based courses. Professor Fletcher has a previous certification for PSC 101: Introduction to Political Science.
“I believe in the principles that guide the QM process: continuous improvement, expert peer review, and using educational tools that have been proven effective by research,” he said. “I want to improve at teaching my online courses and know that QM is based in the ‘best practices’ in course design and instruction.”
The TMCC Political Science Department has set a goal to have all of its online courses undertake the rigorous and comprehensive QM review.
Fletcher said that it’s well worth it.
“My hope is that it will improve student learning in my courses; I know that I learned a lot during the certification process,” he added.
Information about Quality Matters at TMCC can be found on WebCollege under Faculty Resources or by calling 775-673-7814, and information about the national organization can be found on the QM website.
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