Single Parent With Perfect GPR Receives College's Faculty/Staff Scholarship

CONTACT: LISA GARRETT, EXT. 2315

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 5/7/99
(By Lisa Garrett)

PENDLETON --- Cindi Gullatt carries her book bag everywhere she goes these days.

After attending a full day of classes at Tri-County Technical College, she's present at afternoon sports practices and games for her two children, watching their progress while finishing homework assignments. During breaks on her weekend 12-hour mini-shifts at Kemet in Simpsonville, she's studying for Monday's assignments. Seven days a week, she's either at work or at Tri-County Technical College, where she is an associate degree nursing major.

Last week Gullatt's selflessness and perseverance were rewarded when she received the Faculty/Staff scholarship during an annual awards luncheon at Tri-County.

"I was honored just to be nominated, and when I realized I had won, I was very proud," said the Liberty resident. "The competition was tough. The scholarship will help financially," said Gullatt, a single parent. "I'm thankful to the faculty and staff for funding it."

It's hard to manage priorities and make it all work, she admits. There are days, like today, she says, when she juggles classes, tutoring sessions, her son's baseball game, papers, tests and finals. "It all piles up. But I've learned how to make it work," she said.

After her divorce, Gullatt moved to Liberty in 1997 and continued working weekends at Kemet while pondering entering college.

"I decided to go back to school to support myself and my kids and to be able to put them through college," she said.

Her lifestyle changed quickly and drastically. She eased back into school by taking one class her first semester. She is taking a full load this semester.

"Coming back to school made me much busier. But it gave me something to do for me – to feel better about me. It has encouraged my children to stop and realize how far they can go. I'm setting an example for them. My daughter plans to enter Tri-County after high school."

Dr. Sandra Reeves, a social sciences instructor who nominated Gullatt, says, "I nominated Cindi because she is a very deserving individual, because she is achieving excellence in the face of extreme stress, and because she has the

potential to give back to society far more than it will ever have to give her."

At Dr. Reeves' recommendation, Gullatt agreed to become a psychology tutor for the College's Educational Support Services' tutoring lab. "Cindi is very bright, self-disciplined, and she's always thinking through what's going on around her. I see her as a teacher one day – she has that ability," said Dr. Reeves.

Gullatt has maintained a 4.0 GPR despite obvious everyday obstacles

"If you want something badly enough, you make time for it," said Gullatt.
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