Nissan Group Aces Education with Motlow

July 3, 2024

Five Nissan employees are now Motlow State students through a collaboration between Nissan’s Decherd Plant and Motlow’s Adult College Express (ACE) program. Employees Calvin Short, Richard Jones, Jared Lancer, Anthony Howard, and Kristan Crosby began the program over the summer of 2024 and will continue with other Nissan employees in the fall.

Motlow’s Adult College Express (ACE) Program offers classes designed specifically for busy adult learners. Classes meet once or twice a week and allow learners to focus on one subject at a time. In approximately seven semesters, students can graduate from Motlow and have the option of transferring to a four-year college.

Nissan’s Decherd plant invited Motlow to teach classes at their site so that employees have easy access to pursue a degree. The company also offers tuition assistance so that employees can pursue academic and career advancement without the steep price tag.

Dr. Desiree Vannatta, Introduction to College Success Coordinator, helped these students prepare for the ACE program and is excited to see their progress. She stated, “The cohort is a very academically strong one regarding their desire for higher learning. They are very receptive to accomplishing the rigorous material at a heightened pace.”

After working with Dr. Vannatta to prepare for this program, Anthony Howard stated, “The confidence I have now to be able to start this new journey is better than when I first started.”

This collaboration is made possible through the efforts of ACE Program Director Charle Coffey, Dr. Vannatta, and Interim Dean of Career and Technical Programs Gina Burke. Industries interested in offering similar opportunities to their employees must have sufficient, sustained enrollment and contact ace@mscc or 931-393-1816. Motlow State takes the ACE program to qualifying industry sites within the 11-county service area to support local industries and build enrollment.