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STUDENT SUCCESS SPOTLIGHT - July 2007

Joanna Giggetts

Technical Studies: Advanced Manufacturing Engineering Technology

“I feared that I couldn’t do it—that I couldn’t go to college,” says Danville Community College student Joanna Giggetts. “But I wouldn’t know if I didn’t try.”

And try she did. In May 2006, after being out of school for 34 years, Giggetts decided to pursue the Associate of Applied Science Degree in Technical Studies—Advanced Manufacturing Engineering Technology.

Displaced from her job at Dan River, Inc. when the plant closed, Giggetts could have easily kept looking for another job, but she felt that she needed to update her skills. She says employers were requiring that applicants be familiar with the latest technology, so Giggetts saw DCC as a beacon of hope.

“I thought I had made a mistake by going to college, but I really hadn’t,” Giggetts admits. “I kept studying and suddenly my classes got easier. It was tough because I had to put so much time into my assignments, but going to DCC was well worth it.”

College was a far departure from what she was used to, Giggetts says. She had to get back into the “learning mode” and allocate extra time on projects—time she used to spend cooking, cruising, or traveling, to the beach or mountains.

“Sometimes, I wanted to go on trips, but I wouldn’t because I had to study,” Giggetts says. “When I do find a good job, I’ll return to doing those things that I love. The sacrifices I make now will build my future.”

Giggetts is a first generation college student, meaning neither parent attended college. When she graduates in May 2008, she hopes to find a manufacturing job. She credits the support of her family as a crucial factor to her academic success.

“My husband (James) has been very supportive of me,” Giggetts explains. “If I can’t cook because I have to study, he understands. My whole family supports me. Even my brother-in-law helps me with my math homework.”

From the beginning, Giggetts says she prepared for the challenges of the math classes. She took advantage of DCC’s free tutoring services the moment she enrolled. “Math was the only subject I thought that would hold me back from succeeding,” Giggetts says. “I needed to know math to solve formulas and to calculate hydraulic speeds. By getting help before hand, I’m now doing well in math.”

Her grades also reflect her success. She was named to the Vice President’s Honors List in fall 2006 and to the President’s Honors List in spring 2007. She is also a member of the Upsilon Phi Chapter of Phi Theta Kappa, the international honor society for two-year college students.

“What I like the best about DCC is the hands-on experience I receive,” she says. “There is a lot to learn in the manufacturing field, and the professors do a great job. They are always concerned about their students and will take the time to help them until they understand what they’re doing.”

Harold Garrison, an instructor in the Advanced Manufacturing Engineering Technology program, says Giggetts has done well in class. He explains the program prepares students to become a technician in the industrial field.

“Joanna works hard,” says Garrison, who has more than 25 years experience in the industrial field. “She is always prepared for class, and it’s a joy to have her in the program. I expect she will do well.”

For more information about the Advanced Manufacturing Engineering program, contact DCC Workforce Services, at 434.797.8573; toll free: 800.560.4291, ext. 8573; or click here.