MaQueba Massey: Motlow Sparked a Flame for a Bright Future

March 16, 2021

Motlow provided me a competitive advantage through the Dual Enrollment program, jumpstarting an educational journey that continues today

I attended Motlow beginning in the fall of 2010 while still in high school in Fayetteville. The 15 credit hours I accumulated at the Motlow Fayetteville campus enabled me to finish my four-year degree in three years.

Motlow was the solid foundation I needed to move ahead of my classmates and begin achieving my academic goals. I was at a point in my life where I was deciding what my future was going to become. Although I was heavily invested in basketball in high school, I decided to let that go and focus on my education.

Taking classes at Motlow sparked a flame inside me that has yet to die down. It provided the building blocks for my educational career. The time I spent at Motlow helped me to understand and realize what I wanted to do with my life: pursue education. While the credit hours I earned were essential to me, I recognize the lessons learned at Motlow have continued to play an important role in my confidence through the years.

I look back on my time at Motlow with fond memories. I can see that the Motlow classes I took helped form me as a person, especially my communications class, where I learned about effective communication. Since I was a young high school student, I needed to learn about various methods of communication. That knowledge and awareness has continuously helped me in building quality relationships and to understand people and set the tone for my personal and professional development.

The Motlow culture was very open and welcoming, which made me feel at home. It was easy to make friends and build relationships with faculty and staff. Motlow instructors genuinely wanted me to grow and learn and to be a better person. Being in that type of environment and culture, where you know that someone is looking out for you, willing to mentor or sponsor you, made all the difference.

My advice to a high-school student is don’t discount the opportunities that come with the community college experience. At Motlow, you can build your educational foundation, the building blocks to your future, and achieve success. Community College is more personable than a four-year school. You aren't just a number. Your classmates and professors genuinely get to know you. They become your mentors, and they hold you to a higher standard. I highly recommend the Motlow experience to any high-school student considering college.

After graduating from Motlow, I went on to graduate with my bachelor’s degree from Austin Peay State University and my master’s degree from Tennessee State University. I am currently a doctoral student at Jackson State University in Jackson, Mississippi. Education is my passion, and I am forever grateful to Motlow for giving me a successful beginning to my postsecondary educational journey.