Malissa Teal recently celebrated 11 years working at the College of Social Work at the Nashville campus. During this time, she has met and helped numerous students realize their dreams.
In her role at the college, Teal assists online students with registration, and with student disability services accommodations, helps with graduation, and supports faculty as needed.
One of her favorite parts of the job is making connections with the students. “I love watching our students grow and knowing that I played a small part in the process, and therefore, in a small way, helped with their success,” she said. “I feel like I am on this journey with them and it is rewarding when they get to graduation knowing all the hard work and determination they put in to get to their special day. It’s why I love what I do.”
Another thing she loves is living and working in Nashville. “I live in the 16th district and it is one of the best neighborhoods I have every lived in,” she explained. “We all look out for each other whether it be someone needing help with a hardship, or needing a recommendation for a plumber. We have a diverse and loving community. It also doesn’t hurt that my commute to the campus is only about 10 minutes. Anyone who has ever driven in Nashville would likely agree that a commute that short is pretty unheard of.”
Reflecting on the past year, Teal recognizes both the challenges as well as the opportunities it presented. “This Pandemic has been hard but it has forced us to be present, has made us more resilient to what lies ahead, and has given us a deeper spirituality we didn’t know we had. And for that, I am grateful.”