When Taylor Lott moved from Memphis to Batesville in 2019 with his family, he did not have any clear goals set for himself, but one regret nagged at his conscience; he had not earned his high school diploma.
“Frankly, I felt lost and quite depressed over the fact that I never got my GED. I dropped out of high school around the 10th grade due to mental health issues. I feared taking the GED exam because of my past failures in school,” Lott (pictured above) said.
After years of putting it off, Lott said he took the initiative to earn his GED and enrolled in the Adult Education program at the University of Arkansas Community College at Batesville (UACCB). He worked daily with Becky Saffell, UACCB Adult Education instructor, and studied as much as he could. Gradually, Lott’s self-confidence grew, and he began working his way through the required tests to earn his GED.
“In December of 2020, I finally tackled the last one needed for my Arkansas high school diploma. It was math, and I have always hated that subject, but I was determined to finish it because I wanted to get my high school diploma to enroll at UACCB.”
Lott’s persistence in his educational journey led him to be named the 2020-2021 Outstanding Student in the GED program. He is now enrolled at UACCB pursuing his associate degree. He said he hopes to transfer to a four-year institution to pursue a bachelor’s degree in the future. As a UACCB student, Lott became involved in the TRIO Student Support Services program, an experience that he said has been invaluable.
“Applying to TRIO is one of the best decisions that a UACCB student can make,” Lott said. “The TRIO program at UACCB has helped me so much with navigating through my freshman year. My TRIO advisor, Mickey, has been a massive help throughout this experience. I would have never known how to enroll in classes or what prerequisites I needed to move on to specific courses.”
Lott said that he was too anxious to reach out for help during his first semester, but a TRIO tutor, Joe Young, emailed him about tutoring opportunities that could help him with his coursework.
“I was shocked. The fact that TRIO reached out to me during such a turbulent time was such a relief. He has helped me so much, from proofreading my English essays to teaching me effective studying habits; it has truly been an honor collaborating with him. I was close to dropping out altogether, but Joe reassured me that everything would be all right,” Lott said.
For those considering returning to school to complete their education, Lott said do not wait. “Although it may be hard at first, things will slowly start to build in place, like a puzzle. Once you have your GED, you also open up the opportunity to pursue college,” he said. “Going to college is one of the best decisions I have ever made. It was scary at first, but you will eventually get the hang of things. Keep a planner with all your assignments, class schedules, and any other dates of importance. Try to avoid missing class because you can miss valuable information. Check your college email daily, so you do not miss any vital information from your professors. The staff at UACCB has been more than accommodating; they have given me hope for a future where I have a successful job and degree that I can be proud of.”
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