Growing up in a small town is a way of life for many Alabamians. I had the privilege of being raised in a rural community. I attended a small high school, I knew all the students in the grades above and below me. Going to a small school allowed me to participate in almost every sport.
Our smaller numbers also created opportunities for my classmates and I to be involved in clubs and service organizations, after all, if we didn’t who would? Surprisingly, even with all my experiences, the one thing that concerned me most when I graduated from Oakman High School was, “How would I fit in at a larger university?”
I had always known my teachers, my administrators, the bus drivers, and the cafeteria workers.
To say that I had familiar surroundings was an understatement. The idea of entering a lecture hall with more students than my entire high school was a bit daunting. At Oakman High School I was the class president my senior year, captain of the football team, voted most likely to succeed, and yet I doubted myself because I thought only kids who attended larger schools could succeed at large colleges.
By the end of my senior year in high school, I realized my dreams of playing college sports were not likely, so I started pursuing other scholarship opportunities. I learned that Bevill State Community College was hosting college ambassador interviews, and I decided to give it a shot.
I was fortunate to be offered an ambassador scholarship at both the Sumiton and Jasper Campuses. I attended my freshman year on the Sumiton Campus. It was a wonderful experience. I was at ease with the class sizes, my instructors knew my name and through the ambassador program I became immersed in the college experience.
My sophomore year I transferred to the Jasper campus where I also served as an ambassador and eventually became S.G.A. President. I cannot say enough good things about my time at Bevill State and how it prepared me to transfer to Auburn, where I received a business management degree.
My time at Bevill State continues to have an impact on my life even today. In 2018, I was appointed by Governor Ivey to serve as a board of trustee member with the Alabama Community College System.
A small-town boy who once doubted whether he could succeed at a bigger college was now serving on a board that makes policy decisions for the 168,000 students, and over 9,000 employees within the Alabama Community College System. Serving on The Board was a wonderful experience. I was able to see firsthand how the community college system was continuing to transform lives, like it did for me.
Hearing success stories of people just like me who were first generation college students was very gratifying. I got to be part of significant systemic changes that created opportunities for people from every walk of life to have access to a quality education while creating new workforce training opportunities to meet the needs of industry.
Since serving on the ACCS Board of Trustees I have been honored to give back to my community and state in other ways. For the last three years I have been a member of the Alabama House of Representatives where I get to work on a myriad of issues that impact our state. I have the honor this legislative session of carrying a bill called the REACH ACT, Restoring Educational Attainment of Completing Highschool.
This bill will help students who drop out of high school by removing barriers that exist for them to enroll in adult education programs through the ACCS. I am so thankful I get to continue to be a part of the good work being done through the community college system in my current role.
I never dreamed that my experience with Bevill State Community College would open so many doors for me to serve my community, but I am grateful for every single one. I want others to know that it doesn’t matter where you are from or where you start in life. If you are willing to work hard, the Alabama Community College System can take you as far as you want to go.
During my time of service with the ACCS Board of Trustees the system adopted the slogan: You don’t have to go far, to go far in life, now, it’s Make Life Better. I am living proof of these statements.
State Rep. Matt Woods represents District 13 in the Alabama House, he’s a 2002 graduate of Bevill State Community College, where he served as president of the Student Government Association, and a candidate for Alabama Senate District 5.
