Kim Arnold Rises from Intern to Vice President of Operations/Administration for Urban League of the Upstate

Press Release
Date: October 30, 2024
Contact: lgarrett@tctc.edu
By Lisa Garrett
PENDLETON --- Every morning for the past three years, Kim Arnold has had a standing “morning conference call” with her cousin/confidant Shannan McKinney while driving to their respective jobs. “We talk it out - it’s a good way to start the day,” said Arnold, who serves as vice president of operations and administration for the Urban League of the Upstate.
McKinney, who is director of operations/treatment director, Anderson and Oconee offices, at Anderson Oconee Behavioral Health Services, says they serve as sounding boards for each other, beginning by debriefing and prepping for the day’s events. Over the years they’ve discussed everything – “the good things and the bad things,” such as job promotions and job layoffs, family and the value of personal care, which became especially important this past summer as Arnold prepared to undergo a successful brain surgery for a non-cancerous brain tumor. “We have grown together over the years,” McKinney said, and “we complement each other.”
Arnold said the relationship has been a lifesaver as she has navigated various stages of her life which include a job layoff early in her career as a single parent, and two other brain surgeries for a recurring non-cancerous tumor.
“She is resilient,” said Maria Morales, program and administrative assistant at the Urban League of the Upstate. “She also is the heart and soul of this organization. She likes to stay behind the scenes, and she does not give herself enough credit for the great work, the long hours and passion she dedicates to this organization. To her, she is simply doing what she loves.”
As the vice president of operations and administration at the Urban League of the Upstate, Arnold plays a crucial role in ensuring that the organization's initiatives are effectively implemented across the 10 counties it serves. Arnold is responsible for overseeing the operations of the organization, ensuring that all programs and services run smoothly and efficiently in many of these counties.
Arnold said she never dreamed she would be in a leadership position. When she graduated from Pickens High School, she went straight into the workforce as an operator at the Ryobi plant in Pickens. “College was on my mind, but it wasn’t discussed at my home and wasn’t seen as a possibility,” said Arnold, who is the first in her immediate family to graduate from college.
At 20 she held down a full-time job as a single parent of a small son. She worked on the assembly line for six years before enrolling in TCTC. “I wanted a career, a job with a desk. I knew education was my way out. My friend and I agreed we both needed to go back to school.” They enrolled at TCTC in the evening Office Systems Technology (now Administrative Office Technology) program and attended classes from 6 to 10 p.m. four days a week while her sister cared for her son, Kendall. “I love to learn but I hated being away from my son at night. That was the hardest part,” Arnold said.
While she was a senior at TCTC, she began experiencing symptoms she initially thought were related to a sinus infection, including a severe headache. However, when her vision in her right eye became blurry, she visited an eye doctor who discovered a tumor growing on her pituitary gland. The tumor was pressing on her optic nerve, requiring immediate surgery to remove it. The procedure, a pituitary adenoma resection, successfully removed the tumor, which had also been pressing on her brain. Although she ultimately lost vision in her right eye, the surgery, followed by gamma knife radiation, saved the vision in her left eye.
"I was supposed to be out of class for four months that year to recuperate. But I was determined to graduate on time. After just two weeks, I asked the doctor if I could return to class. He said that as long as I wasn't driving or doing anything strenuous, I could go back. So, with the help of instructors like Beth Marsh, I did," said Arnold. It was also that year she was laid off from Ryobi.
She rebounded and moved forward. She graduated in 2002 and began working as a customer service representative for Alltel and later as a financial service rep for Sprint which was a remote job. It was then she decided to further her education at Brown Mackie College which worked perfectly with her schedule.
Greenville Campus ECPI President Karen Burgess served on the board of the Urban League of the Upstate at the time and recommended Arnold for an internship at the organization.
Burgess, then president of Brown Mackie College, remembers Arnold as a standout student. The organization was in need of an extern at the time and Arnold was placed in a clerical position that grew into a full-time position. “She was a very sharp student and she hit the ground running,” said Burgess.
Arnold graduated with a business administration degree in 2013.
“She thought I was a great fit,” said Arnold. “Karen Burgess is still a friend to this day She singled me out after she noticed my interaction with students and faculty. I didn’t even know she knew my name.”
The internship entailed helping the CEO get ready for an assessment by the National Urban League. Her duties grew and within months became a full-time employee. From 2013 until 2021 she was the office manager/executive assistant. In 2021 she was named chief operating officer and she was promoted to her current title this year.
“I’m not at all surprised by her success. She has a true passion for the mission of the organization. I’m so happy for her and her success,” said Burgess.
This past summer, 20 years after her first surgery, Arnold began experiencing similar symptoms and a CT scan revealed a brain tumor was back. She underwent a third surgery. She returned to work ready to tackle anything that comes her way. “I love what I do,” Arnold said. “I love finding outcomes and solving problems.”
Over the years, her responsibilities grew, and after earning a certification in grant writing, she mastered a valuable new skill. Since 2018, she has successfully secured significant funding for the Urban League, greatly contributing to the advancement of their mission.
“She loves problem solving and we love her. Her office is the most populated in the building. Everyone comes to her for solutions,” said Morales.
“I love my job. I meet and work with interesting folks. I learn something new every day. It’s a fun ride,” said Arnold.
About Tri-County Technical College
Tri-County Technical College, a public two-year community and technical college serving Anderson, Oconee and Pickens Counties in South Carolina, enrolls more than 9,000 students annually and offers more than 70 major fields of study, including computer technology, business administration, mechatronics, nursing, and university transfer programs. Tri-County boasts the highest student success rate among two-year colleges in the state and ranks in the top one percent nationally for successful student transfers to four-year colleges and universities. To learn more, visit tctc.edu.
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