Mayor Julian McTizic
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Mayor Julian McTizic: S.O. What! Success Story

How often do you meet people who impress you? Not just with their accomplishments but equally with their humility and kindness. A few years ago I met the Mayor (Julian McTizic) of my original hometown, Bolivar, TN, at a restaurant. Soon…
Melissa Graham
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Melissa Graham: S.O. What! Success Story

One thing I always tell my students is to talk to people. And something that almost always happens is you’ll find a lot that you have in common. Melissa Graham and I started talking because both of us have a passion for student success.…
Ed Robinson
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Ed Robinson: S.O. What! Success Story

When I attended my first Influence, the premier conference for professional speakers, I was excited and also intimidated. But I was immediately embraced. One of the incredible, experienced speakers who welcomed me was Ed Robinson, the Rainmaker.  Standing…
Summer Owens at the JCM class of 1997 25th anniversary class reunion
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25 Life Takeaways from My 25th Anniversary Class Reunion

Last weekend I attended my 25th anniversary class reunion. Even typing 25th anniversary doesn't seem like it could possibly apply to me.  It seems like it was just a couple of years ago that we got our green caps and gowns and excitedly walked…
Tim Ware
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Tim Ware: S.O. What! Success Story

Find your cheerleader. That was the closing advice given by the former athlete turned education leader, Tim Ware, in our interview. When we met over a decade ago, Tim Ware had started a school and today he leads another one just for young…
Annette Webb McNeil
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Annette McNeil: S.O. What! Success Story

It’s never too late to get your degree(s). That’s one of the first thoughts I have when I think of Annette McNeil. Another is how she too was a 15-year-old mom. A third is our connection to the Fogelman College of Business and Economics…
John Best
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John Best: S.O. What! Success Story

Have you ever met a giant? During my time working for the NBA, I did meet a few men who seemed like giants to me.  When I met John Best I definitely noticed his stature but I wasn’t shocked. I wasn’t shocked to learn that John…
Rosie Phillips Davis
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Dr. Rosie Phillips Davis: S.O. What! Success Story

Dr. Rosie Phillips Davis went from poverty to a Ph.D. and has inspired thousands of people along the way. As a nineteen-year-old black female college student, I’ll never forget the day I saw Dr. Rosie Phillips Davis (known to me as Dr.…
Cherryl Pigues Crite
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Cherryl Pigues Crite: S.O. What! Success Story

Homelessness, breast cancer, domestic violence, and more. Cherryl Pigues Crite has been through a lot. I can see so much in her eyes.  The pain of what she’s been through, and the passion to help women. Strength, beauty, resilience.…