NRCC News

2015 New River Community College Graduate Profiles

May 07 2015

This is an archived article!

This article was published on May 07 2015 and was archived on May 08 2016. The information below may be outdated or inaccurate.

When thinking about college students, it's easy to assume that they all follow the same basic path to higher education - choose their future vocation, graduate from high school and head off to college to pursue a degree. As several of this year's New River Community College graduates demonstrate, life often has a way of shaking things up. But, no matter what the challenge, Tamarra Smith, Linda Holliday, Geneva Hutchinson and Dylan Ondell have taken it in stride and will celebrate their achievements on Friday, May 15, at NRCC's 46th annual graduation ceremony.

Tamarra Smith and Linda HollidayMother knows best. It's a common saying, but in the case of New River Community College students Linda Holliday and her daughter, Tamarra Smith of Pulaski, it proved to be quite true. Both women are students in NRCC's PluggedIn Virginia program - Holliday studying medical coding and Smith studying welding. PluggedInVA (PIVA) programs are specially designed to prepare adult learners with the knowledge and skills needed to succeed in education, training and high-wage contemporary careers.

Holliday was the first to begin her educational journey at NRCC. Previously, she owned a beauty salon and worked happily styling hair. But, after encountering some health problems, her doctor urged her to find a new profession that didn't involve the chemicals she used as a stylist. "I didn't have a formal education," says Holliday. "I was content using my hands and my natural abilities." But, when she couldn't make use of those abilities anymore, she struggled to figure out what to do next.

Though she was upset with her circumstances, and nervous about tackling education and a new career in her 40s, Holliday took the leap and joined the PIVA medical office assistant program at NRCC in fall 2013. "I had to start all over and learn about things like computers," she says. "And that was terrifying!" She was apprehensive about falling behind her younger classmates, but once she got started, things changed. "It was so much fun!" she says. After completing the medical office assistant career studies certificate in the spring of 2014, she began studying for her second career studies certificate in medical coding.

She excels in remembering the complex numbers needed for medical coding and can recall them quickly. "I've always liked numbers," she says. "But I didn't realize that. Then I got into this program and said, 'Wow, this is so interesting! I love it.'"

As she nears the end of her studies, she says looking forward to the prospect of getting back into the working world. "I've learned so much and I'm so grateful things turned out the way they have."

Another crucial part of Holliday's success at NRCC, she says, has been the environment. "It's not a coincidence that everyone you run into here - the teachers, the staff, even the janitors - everyone is so supportive," she says.

Keenly aware of how much a supportive environment impacted her own success, Holliday was quick to recommend NRCC and the PIVA program to her daughter, Tamarra Smith. Smith graduated from high school in 2005 and like many of her classmates, headed off to a university. But, the timing just wasn't right for her, so she left college and began working. She spent some time working in fast food and telemarketing before landing a job at a local restaurant, where she's worked for the past two years.

Her mother had mentioned NRCC's PIVA welding program to her, but at the time, the program was full. Smith asked Holliday to let her know if there were any openings. Just a few weeks later, in the fall of 2014, Smith was surprised to get a call from her mom telling her that a spot had indeed opened up in the welding program. "They got me right into the program the very next day," she says. Inspired by her mother's career change, Smith was enthusiastic about the opportunity. "I thought if she can do it, I can do it!" she says.

While her previous jobs hadn't been in indu