readySC's Area Director Lucinda Sutton appreciates the collaboration and support of her colleagues as well as the variety and innovativeness of the companies readySC partners with. “It’s fulfilling to know that our work impacts not only our client companies but also the citizens of South Carolina.”
You participated in the 2020-2021 CCLA cohort. What were the dynamics of that group like?
Our CCLA cohort met once on the USC campus to kick off the program, and then COVID-19 caused a disruption in the way the program was delivered. Due to in-person meeting restrictions, our program shifted to an all-virtual platform. While I would have liked to have met with this group in person more than one time, shifting the program online was so much better than having to cancel it altogether. Even meeting virtually, we all came together for our common goal and established beneficial relationships.
I learned so much about the activities and interests of a technical college from the course material, but I also learned from my cohort teammates, who represented nearly every technical college across the state. We had a very enjoyable group that openly shared experiences, course research, and opinions. And we supported one another through an historical time. We discussed more than just the coursework during those times of uncertainty and social unrest in our country, and meeting with this group broadened my social perspective.
Not only did we learn from and support one another, we had fun together and I looked forward to our meetings. In fact, I still correspond with many of them.
What did you enjoy learning about most?
Several things come to mind. I enjoyed my discussions with higher education leaders, including System President Dr. Tim Hardee, various members of the university’s board of trustees, technical college presidents, and chief financial officers. VP of Finance Randy Johnson did an outstanding job of explaining how higher education funding works. And personal assessments and research that helped me better understand myself and my leadership style were particularly beneficial.
Tell us about the support you received to be successful during your CCLA participation.
Betty Dixon at the System Office was an integral part of making the CCLA application process simple. Dr. Rosline Sumpter was immensely valuable in helping our group navigate research methods and writing in APA style, which I had not done for many years prior to the program. And my manager, LaTokia Trigg, and the HR team at the System Office consistently supported and encouraged me, making the time commitment and rigor of the program manageable and impactful. This program was not something I had to do but something I wantedto do. In fact, once I got in the mindset of “going to school,” the time I spent both in class and completing assignments was pleasurable.
