Success Coach Applies Personal Experience When Assisting Students

As Nash Community College’s Minority Male Success Initiative Director and a Success Coach, Jamal Pitt feels it is important to meet students where they are and to consider each individual’s circumstances when working with students.

Pitt earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminology at North Carolina State University in 2015 and began working part-time at NCC the same year. In 2017, he became a full-time college employee.

In his role, Pitt focuses on understanding the barriers NCC students face so he can offer relevant, proactive and reactive support. His duties include student outreach, tracking student progress and assisting with needs to help students be successful.

In 2018, his empathic approach to student advising led to his decision to enroll as a cybersecurity certificate student at Nash.”A large percentage of the students I work with have full-time or part-time jobs and still have a full schedule of classes on top of other responsibilities like family,” he said. “I need to be able to say that I have been there and gone through some of the same things they are going through.”

Having experienced NCC as a student, Pitt can recall personal circumstances as he communicates with students. “The instructors were very understanding of me and helpful when I had questions about assignments. They even adjusted their office hours to meet with me.”

“I feel that NCC prepared me for the workforce by helping me improve my time management skills in order to meet deadlines for assignments and tasks,” Pitt said. “Now, I can encourage students to stick with it because I know what it is like to be a student. I tell students it’s going to be difficult, but don’t quit! You already took the hardest step by coming to school. Have patience.”

Pitt is currently enrolled at East Carolina University in the Master of Public Administration program. He hopes to continue to support students as he grows in his career at Nash.