Little Things Can Make a Big Difference

by Leyna Beard, First Year Experience Administrator

I come into contact with hundreds of students every day. I walk down hallways. I grab some lunch in the cafeteria. I rush down the stairs to a meeting. True story, the other day I taught a student how to use a computer mouse.

Why am I writing this? To remind all of us that these interactions matter. Every single time we come into contact with a student our interaction can make a difference in their life. When I walk down hallways I smile without caring if the student smiles in return. If one does smile back, I know I made a difference in their day. I made them smile.

I’m not an employee of The Learning Center but when a student needs help, I step up. We frequently see adult students that lack basic computer skills, like using a computer mouse or knowing how to indent paragraphs. Why do I take time to help? Because I know that my simple words of encouragement, my patience, and my understanding can make a difference. All of us, the faculty and staff, are NCC’s greatest retention tool. Whether we like it or not, the students here look up to us as role models. I think it’s easy to forget that as we get busier and budgets tighten. Every interaction matters, so remember to smile, say hello, and check-in, that might be all it takes to bring that student back next semester.