When Rodnekia Stewart began at Craven Community College in 2014, she admits she initially started out having no idea what she wanted to become. Balancing two jobs while taking classes, she was just trying to keep moving forward.
That changed after she met with Zomar Peter, Craven CC Associate Vice President for Students. During their conversation, Stewart noticed how busy Peter was and later emailed to ask if she needed help. That email led to an interview and a Federal Work-Study position in the Admissions Office. In that role, Stewart discovered a new direction.
“I was surprised that many other students were as nervous as I was when I initially started at Craven," she said. "It was great being able to relate to them and help walk them through the process and letting them know that someone was in their corner.”
Encouraged by the experience, she focused on higher education as a career path. Stewart earned her associate in general education and associate in arts degrees from Craven in 2016 before going on to complete her bachelor’s degree at North Carolina Wesleyan University in 2018 through Craven’s university partnership program.
Her professional journey has also stayed close to home. After graduation, Stewart worked as the college’s switchboard operator, then as an Admissions Specialist, and now as a Financial Aid Advisor. Today, she operates the same Federal Work-Study Program that first opened the door for her.
Her proudest moments come during commencement. “I love being able to celebrate and cheer on the students at their graduation, who just semesters before, were nervous, timid, and uneasy about starting. Being able to see them take hold of their degree or diploma and receiving lots of love and applause from family/friends, makes everything worth it.”
When asked what advice she would share with today’s students, Stewart keeps it simple: “My advice would be to ask for help. We're all here to help you in any way that we can. This is not just to promote Craven Community College, but what is best for you and your educational goals. We want to see you succeed!”
