Alumni, Student Life

Alumni Association Spotlight: Cierra French

NCC alumna Cierra French, left, with fiancé Tyler Mizelle. The couple plans to wed Nov. 3, 2018.

Cierra French is originally from Rocky Mount and graduated from Nash Central High School. In 2009, she began as a student at Nash Community College. She recalls choosing Nash because she wanted to enjoy college life while staying close to home for the first two years.

She pursued an Associate in General Education degree at Nash, graduating in 2011, and transferring to Meredith College where she majored in Child Development. After earning her Bachelor of Science degree at there, Cierra continued in Meredith College’s Master of Arts in Teaching program. She graduated and obtained licensure in Special Education K-12. After graduation, she took a position at Elephant’s Fork Elementary School in Suffolk, Virginia.

Today, Cierra is employed as a fourth grade special education inclusion teacher. In 2016, her first year teaching, she was awarded “Rookie Teacher of the Year” for her school and went on to win the title for the Suffolk Public Schools district. This year, Cierra was named Lead Special Education teacher at Elephant’s Fork Elementary School.

In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her family and fiancé, working out, and participating in outdoor activities at Lake Gaston. The advice that Cierra offers to college students is: “Keep your dreams in front of you and always make them a priority. Work hard, but also have some fun. Keep true to who you are and what you believe in, and you can do whatever you want. As a teacher I say, always keep learning.”