‘Here to motivate’ – McDowell is new liaison between SCC and adult learners

Jessica McDowell, an Elizabethtown native, is the liaison between adult learners and Southeastern Community College, and she is the official face of NC Reconnect on campus. As the new Adult Learner and Customer Relationship Management Coordinator, she is an adult learner’s initial point of contact with the college.  

As an adult learner herself, McDowell is looking forward to serving in this role because she knows the struggles of working full-time, taking care of her son as a single mother and going to school at the same time.  

“I will get them familiarized with coming back to school because sometimes that’s hard,” McDowell said. “My main goal for this position is to serve the students and help them obtain whatever goals they have. I’m here to motivate them and get them to the finish line.” 

McDowell, a student athlete, graduated from East Bladen High School in 2007 and went on to run track and field at UNC Pembroke. In 2011, she earned her bachelor’s degree in business administration and started working after graduating. McDowell began her SCC journey in 2021 and started her Master of Business Administration degree program one year later.  

“I wrote down in my journal that I wanted to obtain my MBA,” McDowell said. “People asked me why I wanted to do that, and I told them it was a goal of mine. I think it was just God guiding me through this because every class I took in the MBA program has something to do with my new job role.” 

For McDowell, her new role is more than just about enrollment. She said that keeping students in their programs and on track to graduate – retention – is her primary job responsibility. Through constant monitoring on Watermark and check-in calls and emails, she wants to encourage every adult learner to finish their degree and land a high wage job.  

“I know everyone is not as blessed as me to have a circle of friends and family to support them on their college journey,” McDowell said. “But I will be that support system and connect those adult learners with the resources they need.” 

McDowell said that providing a good life for her son is her motivation to keep striving for excellence at SCC. Knowing that her hard work and dedication has paid off, McDowell hopes to pass on that same energy to the adult learners she serves.  

Over the course of her four years at SCC, McDowell said that attending events on campus is her favorite part of the job. As the host of many community events on campus such as the Halloween Trunk or Treat, SummerFest, Earth Day, Senior Day and several career expos, McDowell said that SCC is a social hub for Columbus County. With community events bringing students, employees and Columbus County residents together, McDowell loves the family atmosphere where she can involve her son with her job.  

SCC hosted its first ever Adult Learner Open House on July 17, and McDowell was the first person an adult learner saw when they first walked in the door to the event. McDowell said it was “a little scary at first” since she was “still learning the ropes,” but she quickly gained the confidence and knowledge to make sure it was a successful experience for everyone.  

During her free time outside of work, McDowell likes to run, write poetry, ride bikes, skate, draw, sing, write songs and hopes to start playing flag football. She writes poetry for people who are going through tough times, and she gifts it to them in hopes that it lifts their spirits. 

“One thing that people can’t take away from you is words,” McDowell said. “The gift of words is priceless to me, so I don’t put a price on that because I feel like God put those words in me for others to hear.” 

Ready to take the next step as an adult learner at SCC? Contact Jessica McDowell, SCC’s Adult Learner and Customer Relationship Management Coordinator, at [email protected] or 910-788-6371.