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| Marc Parks of Sapphire (left) will receive his associate degree in radiography on Friday, May 8, at Southwestern Community College’s Jackson Campus. Parks is pictured here receiving the Dallas Herring Achievement Award from Dr. Thom Brooks, executive vice president for instruction and student services, on April 14. |
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| Noah Jones (shown here accepting an award during SCC’s Academic Awards ceremony on April 14) will be the featured student speaker during health sciences graduation at 5 p.m. on Friday, May 8, at SCC’s Jackson Campus. |
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| Jamee Pelcher of Franklin will be the featured student speaker during SCC’s graduation ceremony for career technologies, arts and sciences and early college at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, May 8, at the Jackson Campus. |
Hard work and long hours never bothered Marc Parks.
Those attributes helped him get into a prestigious Ivy League university out of high school, and his work ethic was essential in his success as a Jackson County real estate broker/owner for more than a decade.
But when that industry capsized a few years back, no amount of dedication or diligence could help the Sapphire resident recover from the real estate downfall. Parks decided it was time to start a fresh chapter in his life: He enrolled in Southwestern Community College’s radiography program in the fall of 2013.
This Friday (May 8), he’ll be part of the largest graduating class in SCC’s 50-year history when he accepts his associate degree in the first of two ceremonies in Myers Auditorium on the Jackson Campus.
Featured student speakers will be Noah Jones of Candler and Jamee Pelcher of Franklin as 444 students are set to receive their associate degrees, diplomas and/or certificates during the health sciences (5 p.m.) and career technologies/arts and sciences/early college (7:30 p.m.) ceremonies.
"I feel tremendous excitement," said Parks, who spent more than 18 years in healthcare administration at hospitals in Texas and Florida before moving to Western North Carolina in 1997. "It’s a new opportunity to resurrect myself. SCC has given me the opportunity and the skills I need to move into this new profession.
"It’s interesting; I knew of SCC but had never visited the campus except for a defensive driving course," Parks said. "But I went to interview with (Radiography instructors) Meg (Petty) and Kim (Argo), and they took a chance on me as a 56-year-old guy at the time."
The first day of school felt a bit bizarre for Parks, who started his college education in 1974 at Yale. He holds a bachelor’s degree in physical education from State University of New York College at Cortland and a master’s degree in the same field from Smith College in Massachusetts.
He soon found a rhythm at Southwestern, and his ever-present work ethic helped him get through some long days and nights.
"My wife (Deborah) supported and encouraged me the whole way, but it was hard," Parks recalled. "There were nights I worked at the Orchard restaurant and got home at 11 p.m. then had to crack the books and get to studying to keep up with the workload. Because I already have master’s and bachelor’s degrees, I didn’t qualify for student loans – so that made this a challenge from a financial standpoint. But I stuck with it."
"My instructors, Meg and Kim are the best, and I have tremendous classmates here."
Parks graduates with honors, having been the recognized twice on SCC's President's list (G.P.A, 3.75 or higher) and earning the Radiography program's Academic Excellence award for highest in-class GPA during the two-year program. He was also selected as the school's recipient of the Dallas Herring Award and Rotary Student of the Month honors. Parks is currently under consideration for a PRN technologist position at Angel Medical Center in Franklin.
For more information about SCC and its programs, visit www.southwesterncc.edu or call 828.339.4000.
