From Homeschool Student to Math Major

“Nash provided an amazing transition from homeschooling to a formal college setting,” Abigail Wooten, 20, of Rocky Mount, said. “They gave me the opportunity to get a headstart on my college career for almost no cost. I was also introduced to role models and mentors who inspired me and helped me decide what I wanted to with my life.”

Abigail Wooten began studying at Nash Community College as a dually enrolled student taking classes through the Career and College Promise program during her junior and senior years of high school.

“When I started classes at Nash, I had to adapt to deadlines and a firm schedule. My instructors were very helpful in this transition,” she said. “They provided clear expectations and assignment descriptions so that I always knew what was expected of me.

At NCC, Wooten was a member of the National Society of Leadership and Success and Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. She graduated from Nash in 2018 with Associate in Arts and Associate in Science degrees, with highest honors.

“The teachers at Nash are passionate about their students. They are full of Blue Love. Personally, I could not have asked for a better place to begin my college education.”

Wooten said that although it can be intimidating for students to speak up when they do not understand something, it is important to do so. “If you put in the time and ask for help when you need it, you will succeed, not just at Nash, but out in the world as well.”

“My dad instilled a love of math in me at a young age. Originally, I thought I wanted to study accounting,” she said. “However, I was in Professor Pitt’s math class my first semester at NCC when she recognized the potential for me to become a math instructor. She encouraged me and helped me to see what she already knew: I wanted to teach math. She remains a strong supporter and mentor for me to this day.”

Following graduation from NCC, Wooten transferred to North Carolina Wesleyan College (NCWC). She will graduate this month with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics and a minor in Computer Information Systems, with highest honors.“I believe Nash helped prepare me for my journey at NCWC by instilling a strong work ethic in me. By the time I got to NCWC, I had already learned how to stay on top of assignment deadlines and how to ask professors for help when I needed it, two skills I consider essential.”

While attending NCWC, Wooten worked several part-time jobs, including work as a tutor at NCC. “This didn’t leave much time for clubs and activities at school,” she said. “However, I transferred my membership to the local chapter of the National Society of Leadership and Success, an organization I originally joined at Nash. I was able to attend speaker events and fundraisers with them. I also volunteered for community service projects.”

Wooten currently serves as a tutor in the NCC Mathematics Department. She plans to continue working with developmental math students, providing the support for foundational learning they need to become mathematicians.

She has been accepted into East Carolina University’s Master of Arts in Mathematics program and will begin this fall. “I hope to teach math full-time at Nash. The math department was instrumental in making me and so many others into the people we are today, and I want to continue that tradition.”

Through the Career & College Promise program, qualified high-school-age students have the opportunity to begin their college education, tuition free. Interested students should meet with their high school counselor or home school principal. Enrollment is open for NCC’s online summer classes. Summer semester begins May 26. For more information, visit www.nashcc.edu/registration or call 252-451-8235.