Metallica Scholar finds confidence in herself
For industrial maintenance student Misti South, working with her hands gives her a sense of accomplishment.
淚 like the feeling I get when I see my work completed taking something broken and making it work again, she said.
The new Metallica Scholar at first lacked the confidence that she had what it took to work in the male-dominated industrial maintenance field, she said. She since has found her strength, especially after being asked to participate in her employer檚 maintenance helper program, where she can apply what she learns in the classroom immediately on the job.
淚檝e just been trying to get outside of myself and not to listen to that voice that tells me I can檛 do it, or even those people who think I can檛 do it because I檓 a woman, South said. 淚檓 trying to show my daughter what I can do so she檒l in turn see what she can do.
South originally attended many years ago studying human resources, but once she worked in that field she determined it wasn檛 the right fit. She came back to the college she knows and loves, to work toward a career that more aligned with her personality.
淚 always wondered why and how something works the way it does, she said. 淚 once went without a dryer for weeks because I couldn檛 figure out how to change a cord. When I found out how easy it was, I thought, 業 could do that.櫇
South credits with providing her with the encouragement to get as far as she has.
淚 love the instructors here. They are compassionate, and I can tell they really want me to succeed. Everyone is rooting for me, she said.
That includes industrial maintenance instructor Jerry Lawler.
淢isti was selected as a Metallica Scholar because she is dedicated to improving her life by attending school while working full time on midnight shift, he said. 淪he is learning a trade and improving her position with her employer through the degree she will receive here at . Most days Misti only gets two or three hours of sleep before she must be up to come to class. Her hard work and dedication are paying off for her now as well as in the future.
Becoming a Metallica Scholar has added to South檚 confidence in herself.
淚t has provided me with a sense of accomplishment and pride, she said. 淚檓 not just proving myself to other people, but I檓 proving myself to myself.
