Leah Andrews earned her BA in English education from Coker College in 2002 and her MA in the Humanities from California State University Dominguez Hills in 2008. After college, she worked for three years as a middle and high school English teacher at the Lexington Alternative Learning Center. She transferred to Lexington High School in 2005, where she taught English and creative writing for 14 years. Though her students and her experiences as a teacher will always hold a special place in her heart, she was eager to try something new. In June 2019, she joined the SC Technical College System Office as the Administrative Coordinator for Communications and Finance.
What three words would you use to describe yourself?
I would describe myself as intentional, creative, and curious. I’ve always been a quiet person, but there’s a lot going on in my head and in my heart.
Please tell us about your job.
I get the benefit of being part of two very different departments. One day I may be wrapped up in words with the Communications department, and the next day, it’s all about the numbers with Finance—but I love that variety! I go from creating newsletters or presentations to compiling data in spreadsheets; from making editing suggestions for videos to organizing accountability reports; from assisting with our state-wide marketing campaign to facilitating four peer groups. No matter what, I hope that the work I do makes it easier for others to do their job.
Tell us about the transition from teaching to coming to work for the System.
The transition is a logical one, I think. I am energized by serving others. In the classroom, it was easy for me to do this. I shook my students’ hands and greeted them at the door. I gave them a space to share their ideas, which some people were quick to discount because they were teenagers. I encouraged their creativity in their writing. Now, I get to do this in different ways. I can help peer group members from colleges across the state connect and exchange ideas. I can learn more about marketing or fundraising by engaging with others at conferences or online. And I can try to be prompt and efficient when my colleagues make a request. In both positions, the goal, ultimately, is to promote the value of education by helping people.
What is something you like about your job?
So many things! As it was with teaching, I want to know that the work I’m doing matters and makes a difference. Three projects immediately come to mind as being especially rewarding. The first was a service project that I helped organize last Christmas to benefit Sistercare, a local organization that aids victims of domestic violence. I was so humbled to see the generosity of my Finance department friends (and a few others as well) as they provided supplies, money, and time to help this worthy organization. The second has been my work with Brains on Fire, the marketing team behind our state-wide I Defy campaign. I am grateful that they have invited me to observe and assist with their creative process, that I have gotten to visit a number of our technical colleges and see not only the offerings of our colleges but also the natural beauty of our state, and that I was able to interview students and hear why they love going to a technical college. And the third has been the opportunity to organize a scholarship campaign slated to launch in 2021-22. I love the outside-of-the-box thinking that goes with fundraising, and to know that this work can help students who may not otherwise be able to afford an education does my heart good!
