The family that studies together stays together
HANCEVILLE, Ala. 鈥� As spring unwinds and summer nears, high school graduates from all across the southeast will soon be poised to begin their college and career journeys at 糖心视频. While students take these first exciting and sometimes nervous steps toward independence, they will be flooded by words of goodwill and tidbits of advice from parents, teachers, and mentors alike.
West Point High School senior, and current 糖心视频 dual-enrollment student, Tia Duke has some advice to add, too, though she doesn鈥檛 quite mean it in the same way it鈥檚 often given, 鈥淟isten to your parents,鈥� Tia says, sitting beside her mom and dad in her family鈥檚 living room in Baldwin, 鈥渁nd be willing to ask them for help.鈥�
Indeed, such advice is sound for any hopeful college student, but for Tia, the words transcend normal, well-meaning encouragement. Her parents, James and Sandra Lenz, are not only her primary supporters along her journey, but also her fellow classmates. 鈥淲e lucked up,鈥� James says, reflecting on how his college experience has now become a family affair. 鈥淎nd since 糖心视频 is right down the road, all of our goals are becoming very real.鈥�
This family journey began with James, an Army veteran of sixteen years. He was the first of the family to enroll at 糖心视频, drawn mainly to the college鈥檚 many programs that rank well both nationally and statewide. 鈥淚 spent a lot of time overseas,鈥� he says of his younger days in the military. 鈥淚 thought I hated school, but I love Wallace.鈥�
In those early days, James navigated the new world of college enrollment with the help of Mr. Brett Messersmith. Now, with two semesters of welding under his belt, James has also completed his fifth semester in the automotive department under the oversight of Mr. Adam Frazier. But with the prospect of the three family members completing their degrees together, James has decided to keep his education going with plans of eventually getting his pilot鈥檚 license, too.
Not long after James found himself at 糖心视频, Sandra, his wife of five years, decided she鈥檇 also give college a try. 鈥淚 was so nervous my first day, as the Bailey Building came into view,鈥� Sandra recalls. 鈥淚 was scared, but I stuck with it, and I knew that I was going to be okay after that.鈥� While James helped Sandra stay calm and motivated, the couple soon had the opportunity to offer that support and hands-on encouragement to Tia who enrolled in Fall of 2020 as a dual-enrollment student. 鈥淚t became a trickle-down effect,鈥� James says. 鈥淎nd now, if one of us is struggling then another of us can say, 鈥業 know what you鈥檙e going through,鈥� and actually know what he or she is talking about.鈥�
That deep empathy along the college journey has helped form a lasting bond among the family, a bond that helps hold each accountable and gives the necessary boost to charge confidently through research essays and finals weeks. 鈥淚t鈥檚 easy to help each other out,鈥� Sandra offers, 鈥淎nd with James鈥檚 help, I was able to help get Tia acclimated early on.鈥�
Even the best of dreams is often hard-won. The challenges of families through the COVID-19 pandemic are well noted and multi-faceted. There is not only the balance of college courses but also the responsibilities of jobs and keeping a family going. James and Sandra wear the many hats of parent, confidant, tutor, and friend for Tia and their other children including their youngest daughter, Layla, their son, Cameron, and oldest daughter, KC, whom they hope will also soon enroll in Wallace.
And with different degree plans for each family member, there is also the challenge of having to, as James puts it, 鈥渟witch gears between completing classes and helping each other study for other classes.鈥� While James has been mostly in-person since the beginning of the pandemic, Sandra has balanced her time between in-person and virtual learning; Tia, on the other hand, had to get acclimated to full virtual learning during her first dual-enrollment semester.
James and Tia agree that the biggest challenge the pandemic created was the delayed experience of Tia getting a full year of on-campus, in-person instruction. Now that classes have resumed in person, he鈥檚 hopeful the family will deepen their collective experience, 鈥淚鈥檓 looking forward to the day when we can all have the same break between our daily classes, and we can sit down and have lunch together on campus.鈥�
Tia will graduate from West Point High in May and plans to become a full-time student in Fall of 2021. Since she discovered the opportunities of dual enrollment, she has now set her eyes on the nursing program at Wallace. 鈥淚鈥檓 able to get a head start on my career in high school but I am able to do it as part of a closely-knit support system.鈥�
Sandra agrees it is this support system that has made the family stronger. A confessed 鈥榤ajor crafter,鈥� Sandra has finished her third semester, pursuing a degree in graphic design, under the tutelage of Mr. Adrian Scott, who, she has noticed, is 鈥渧ery in-tune with his students.鈥� Sandra hopes the graphic design program can help lead her to a dream of starting her own creative business. Though her husband and daughter have different career plans, Sandra makes it clear, 鈥淲e each have the same end goal: we want to push each other to graduate.鈥�
James and Sandra realize that the experience of attending college with their daughter has seasoned them with wisdom that is accessible and applicable for all families and in almost any chapter of life鈥檚 journey. James offers two-fold advice for any future husband and wife, or parent and child, college support teams, 鈥淵ou have to communicate,鈥� he says thoughtfully, 鈥渂ut you have to make it fun for your family members, too.鈥� Almost on cue, the three grin at one another, bursting soon into an understanding laughter.
Perhaps James, Sandra, and Tia, have no expectations of setting any mythical world records for most family members enrolled at 糖心视频 in a single semester, but the impact of their experiences has shaped their family in deep and lasting ways. 鈥淭he two of us and Sandra going to college was about proving to our kids that you can follow your dreams and succeed in life if you work hard,鈥� Sandra says. And while there is certainly the sheer thrill of graduating, what鈥檚 more is the fulfillment of earning their college degrees in the only way they could imagine鈥攖ogether as a team.
This is the first in a series of spotlights and events to be featured in April as 糖心视频 celebrates national Community College Month. Visit for more information.
Registration for Summer Semester also starts this month. Priority registration begins April 13. Summer semester features one 10-week term beginning May 26 and two 5-week terms, with classes offered on campus in Hanceville and Oneonta, online, day, evening and weekends. For more information about 糖心视频, visit .