Dora Gilreath
Reporter
Lisa Adams, director of Upward Bound, discusses her long time career at Crowder along personal facts.
What made you decide to work at Crowder?
Back in the day, I really liked the atmosphere, I liked the representation at Crowder, and it made me feel like I was a part of something important. I’ll be here 27 years in October.
How have the different roles you’ve had here at Crowder differ from the current role you have now?
All of my roles have been within Student Affairs, which is student focused. I started out making sure the students were admitted to college to making sure they were taking the correct classes. My role is helping people and helping the staff help the students.
What are some of your favorite aspects about your career?
Helping students complete their goals, watching them develop, and I’ve shifted into watching staff develop as well. I like seeing and helping people meet their goals.
What are some of your least favorite aspects about your career?
Probably working within the political realm of it. We are in a federally funded institution that works directly with grants. Working with the federal government is a very slow process, so solving problems can be difficult at times.
What are some pieces of advice that you’d give to incoming college freshmen?
Don’t procrastinate; it’s okay to change your mind, and it’s okay to not know your path yet.
What are some benefits of joining Upward Bound and other TRIO programs?
The benefits could go on for days. You have a support group, and they care about students. Their focus is student success. The student success becomes our success, we’re helping students navigate unfamiliar territories. It’s a safety net that they wouldn’t get anywhere else. Beyond popular belief, most student’s problems aren’t unique. We’ve seen the situation before and we know how to solve it.
What makes you unique from other people?
I think I’m pretty average, but probably the fact that I like the business aspect as well as the student interaction budgets and HR along with working with students.
If you had the opportunity to have a conversation with yourself from five years ago, what would you tell them?
Don’t stress about the little things. Make sure what I’m putting my energy into is what I truly want.
What person inspires you the most in your life?
Probably my mother; she inspires me in a different way. She had a very rough life and helped me to see what I needed to do so I wouldn’t repeat that lifestyle.
If you are having a difficult or stressful day, how do you cope?
I like to read romance novels because there’s always a happy ending. Sometimes I skip to the middle and the end. It let’s me go to a world that’s not my own.
What are some of your strengths?
That I care. I care about the happiness and success of others. I like knowing how things work and solving problems and finding solutions that are satisfactory.
What are some of your weaknesses?
I can get frustrated easily. I like things to be a certain way. I have no patience.
Are you more of a leader or a follower and why?
I hope I’m a leader since that’s my position! I hope I lead as a group, not just by myself. I want to make sure we’re making good decisions.
What is your greatest fear?
Disappointing people that are important to me, not being good enough.
Are you more inclined to focus on the past, the present, or the future and why?
My anxiety requires me to focus on the past and every little thing I’ve done. I force myself to look to the future because that’s where we’re headed. The present is taken care of if we’re focused on the future.
How has COVID-19 affected your life, at work and at home?
I’m a homebody, so being forced to stay home wasn’t that big of a deal. As far as work, it completely upended everything. Trying to figure out what works for the students, technology, revamping the summer program to all online. The energy from students was missing, so it’s much better to have them here than at home.
What is your favorite quote?
“How you see your future is much more important than what has happened in the past.” Zig Ziglar
Describe your ideal day.
It changes all the time. If I want a lazy day, I want it to be raining, eat soup, and lay around in my pajamas and read.
What do you recommend for students who aren’t sure where to go or what to do after Crowder College?
Take opportunities that present themselves. You’re young. If you have the chance to step outside your comfort zone and push yourself, go for it.
What’s something about yourself that people don’t know based on first impressions of you?
I’m a lot more approachable than they think I am. I have a tendency to be quiet before I get to know somebody, so they think I’m unapproachable, but I am approachable.
What are some of your pet peeves?
People that drive slow. I have no patience, and I don’t like people that dawdle. A pet peeve for myself is not getting as much done that day I could have done.
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