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LCCC financial aid director successful despite adversity
 |
| Debbie Tunsil, Lake City Community College financial aid director, sits in front of her associates, bachelors and masters degrees hanging on a wall in her office. MADELYN TROYANEK/Lake City Reporter |
By JUSTIN LANG jlang@lakecityreporter.com
Debberin "Debbie" Tunsil remembers how hard it was.
Even before speaking on the experience, the financial aid director at Lake City Community College needs a moment to draw her strength.
In time, Tunsil, 51, explains how she was one of the first black students to integrate into a predominantly white high school in Georgia.
She grew up in Locust Grove, Ga., a "very small Southern town" about 50 miles south of Atlanta, where both she and a younger brother attended the local public schools.
Tunsil was a good student and always kept college as a goal.
But it was just after passing the eighth grade in 1966 - well before college age - that her difficult decision came.
"At that time I had to make a decision whether or not I would go to the predominantly black high school or to integrate," Tunsil said.
With her collegiate goals in mind, she bravely stepped through the barriers to become one of the first five black students to attend McDonough High School in McDonough, Ga.
"I always knew I wanted to go to college and decided this was the best decision for me at the time," Tunsil recounted. "But I knew it was going to be difficult. I thought going to the predominantly white school would provide a better avenue for me to get to college at that time."
For the first two years, Tunsil had to ride the bus from her Locust Grove home to McDonough, which was seven miles away. It was an experience that required using her dignity and bravery to contend with the smaller-minded.
"I was the only black student on the bus," Tunsil recalled.
Since there were only five black students during her first two years of high school, Tunsil said she and the others attempted to stay together as much as possible.
"We did well in our classes," she said. "But during breaks and lunch we tried to sit together because of the constant harassment ... it was a long four years."
Tunsil's words were brief, but her eyes spoke volumes.
As hard as it was, Tunsil said it did get easier her junior year, after all schools were required to integrate in 1968.
Once schools were fully integrated, Tunsil said those students had numbers on their side "as opposed to five in the entire high school."
Although she and others had made the same difficult choice - helping to make it easier for those coming after -Tunsil said at the outset their thoughts weren't of breaking down barriers.
"I think at the time we didn't realize we were doing something great." Tunsil said. "At the time, it was just something we and our families decided was in our best
interest."
When asked about the best of times during high school, Tunsil pauses to contemplate her answer.
"In the first two years it would be hard to think of anything," Tunsil said. "But in the last two years when I got advice from the guidance counselors about what I should be doing to get to college, there were two very sweet ladies that helped me with that."
Coming to Florida
College is what ultimately brought Tunsil to Florida.
In 1970 she moved to St. Petersburg to become a freshman at Florida Presbyterian University, now Eckerd College.
"I went to study foreign language because I wanted to be a United Nations interpreter," Tunsil said.
Tunsil said she was more interested in learning Spanish than other languages, but wanted to work in a diverse place.
"I thought it would be an exciting kind of career to be able to work at the United Nations," she said. "I thought it had an international flavor to it too."
But that desire never came to fruition for Tunsil, because she changed her major and never actually graduated from Florida Presbyterian.
While at the college, Tunsil met an upperclassman, the man that would become her husband, Lake City attorney Merrill Tunsil.
Marrying in 1971, Tunsil said they moved to Gainesville before she finished at the college, so her husband could attend law school at the University of Florida after he graduated.
While her husband went to school, Tunsil took a break from classes to provide income for the young couple.
"I kind of put my career on hold and worked while my husband attended law school," she said.
While Merrill took to the books, Tunsil said she worked full time in different capacities, including working for the state in the human resources area as an insurance clerk.
But after her husband graduated from law school, she and Tunsil moved once again. This time to Lake City, his hometown.
"It was at that time he worked for another black attorney here until he opened his own practice," Tunsil said.
Her academics were put on hold, but Tunsil had not forgotten about college, still wanting to finish what she started. After taking a job at Five Points Elementary as an aid, she also attended Lake City Community College to complete her associate of arts degree.
With that, she continued to work full-time at different jobs and transferred her A.A. to Jacksonville University for a weekend studies program.
"My car could drive there by itself," she joked. "I went to class on Friday evenings, all day Saturday and I had some Sunday classes."
While still going after her bachelor's at JU, Tunsil landed a job at LCCC in the financial aid department as a financial aid specialist.
But by the time she got her bachelor's degree, the position for LCCC's financial aid director became available.
Confident she was capable of filling the position, Tunsil decided to apply and was successful in obtaining the job.
"It was exciting," Tunsil said. "And yet I knew the responsibilities associated with being the director."
Making the transition
Though she has been the director for about 12 years, Tunsil said it wasn't easy at first.
She credits other directors at community colleges and universities around the state helping her with questions she had and in dealing with new issues. And every opportunity she had, Tunsil also attended workshops and conferences to further her
training.
Since she has been director, Tunsil also further utilized the weekend studies program at JU to achieve her master's degree in business administration.
The hardest aspect about being in the administrative position, Tunsil said, was learning to supervise people that were previously her equals, some of which started at the same time.
"At first that was difficult but it's gotten easier over the years," she said. "I have a great staff and they make it easier."
And members of that staff think equally of her.
Evelyn Koch, financial aid specialist, has nothing but the highest opinion of Tunsil and believes "she is just the tops."
"She's got the patience of a saint," Koch said. "She's been a mentor to me and she is a wonderful person to work with. She's the type of person that put everyone else ahead of herself."
In the financial aid field, Tunsil said things are "never dull" because of all of the changes from year to year. But most of all, it is the opportunity to work with people and help them with their own future she cherishes most.
"The fact that I can help someone achieve their career goals," Tunsil said. "It makes me feel good when I can help them do that."
Barbara Anderson, dean of student services at LCCC, has known Tunsil for more than two years and acts as her supervisor.
"Debbie is an outstanding professional. She is very respected with her colleagues and staff in students services and in the state with other directors of financial aid," Anderson said. "I've worked in several different colleges and I've never been in a college where there were almost no complaints from students about financial aid. It's just amazing to me, so they do a great job."
Anderson said Tunsil is a big contributor to the departments success because "she's the model, she sets the tone and everyone that works for her has the same attitude and values that basically the students come first and also of accuracy."
Family ties
But not all of Tunsil's accomplishments have been professionally related. During her marriage of about 32 years, she also raised two boys Kiambe, 30, and Akil, 27.
Kiambe, Tunsil said, is "one of the new federal screeners" at Jacksonville International Airport. Recently she said her eldest son has not been at the job, but instead recuperating after he donated a kidney to an 8-year-old boy - a cousin who was in need.
Though it was cause for worry, Tunsil said both Kiambe and the cousin are doing well.
Tunsil said her youngest son, Akil, is currently working in his father's law office as a clerk.
When she has free time, Tunsil said she dabbles in photography, reads and - when able - likes to play
tennis.
Tunsil said she also is very active in her church and even teaches a Sunday school class of 3- to 5-year-olds.
"They are so much fun to teach," she said smiling. "It is very interesting from one Sunday to the next. They ask some very good questions from time to time."
It hasn't happened yet, but Tunsil said she hopes for more children in the family, only this time grandchildren.
If she has her way, Tunsil and her husband could visit those grandkids in between frequent travel to other countries.
"We want to travel abroad as we approach retirement in a few years," Tunsil said. "We want to travel to Africa in the next couple of years."
Even if she doesn't always have time for leisure, life is full for the girl from Locust Grove that made it to college, and well beyond.
"There's not of lot of free time for me," Tunsil said. "I like helping, that's why I'm always busy."
Even before speaking on the experience, the financial aid director at Lake City Community College needs a moment to draw her strength.
In time, Tunsil, 51, explains how she was one of the first black students to integrate into a predominantly white high school in Georgia.
She grew up in Locust Grove, Ga., a "very small Southern town" about 50 miles south of Atlanta, where both she and a younger brother attended the local public schools.
Tunsil was a good student and always kept college as a goal.
But it was just after passing the eighth grade in 1966 - well before college age - that her difficult decision came.
"At that time I had to make a decision whether or not I would go to the predominantly black high school or to integrate," Tunsil said.
With her collegiate goals in mind, she bravely stepped through the barriers to become one of the first five black students to attend McDonough High School in McDonough, Ga.
"I always knew I wanted to go to college and decided this was the best decision for me at the time," Tunsil recounted. "But I knew it was going to be difficult. I thought going to the predominantly white school would provide a better avenue for me to get to college at that time."
For the first two years, Tunsil had to ride the bus from her Locust Grove home to McDonough, which was seven miles away. It was an experience that required using her dignity and bravery to contend with the smaller-minded.
"I was the only black student on the bus," Tunsil recalled.
Since there were only five black students during her first two years of high school, Tunsil said she and the others attempted to stay together as much as possible.
"We did well in our classes," she said. "But during breaks and lunch we tried to sit together because of the constant harassment ... it was a long four years."
Tunsil's words were brief, but her eyes spoke volumes.
As hard as it was, Tunsil said it did get easier her junior year, after all schools were required to integrate in 1968.
Once schools were fully integrated, Tunsil said those students had numbers on their side "as opposed to five in the entire high school."
Although she and others had made the same difficult choice - helping to make it easier for those coming after -Tunsil said at the outset their thoughts weren't of breaking down barriers.
"I think at the time we didn't realize we were doing something great." Tunsil said. "At the time, it was just something we and our families decided was in our best
interest."
When asked about the best of times during high school, Tunsil pauses to contemplate her answer.
"In the first two years it would be hard to think of anything," Tunsil said. "But in the last two years when I got advice from the guidance counselors about what I should be doing to get to college, there were two very sweet ladies that helped me with that."
Coming to Florida
College is what ultimately brought Tunsil to Florida.
In 1970 she moved to St. Petersburg to become a freshman at Florida Presbyterian University, now Eckerd College.
"I went to study foreign language because I wanted to be a United Nations interpreter," Tunsil said.
Tunsil said she was more interested in learning Spanish than other languages, but wanted to work in a diverse place.
"I thought it would be an exciting kind of career to be able to work at the United Nations," she said. "I thought it had an international flavor to it too."
But that desire never came to fruition for Tunsil, because she changed her major and never actually graduated from Florida Presbyterian.
While at the college, Tunsil met an upperclassman, the man that would become her husband, Lake City attorney Merrill Tunsil.
Marrying in 1971, Tunsil said they moved to Gainesville before she finished at the college, so her husband could attend law school at the University of Florida after he graduated.
While her husband went to school, Tunsil took a break from classes to provide income for the young couple.
"I kind of put my career on hold and worked while my husband attended law school," she said.
While Merrill took to the books, Tunsil said she worked full time in different capacities, including working for the state in the human resources area as an insurance clerk.
But after her husband graduated from law school, she and Tunsil moved once again. This time to Lake City, his hometown.
"It was at that time he worked for another black attorney here until he opened his own practice," Tunsil said.
Her academics were put on hold, but Tunsil had not forgotten about college, still wanting to finish what she started. After taking a job at Five Points Elementary as an aid, she also attended Lake City Community College to complete her associate of arts degree.
With that, she continued to work full-time at different jobs and transferred her A.A. to Jacksonville University for a weekend studies program.
"My car could drive there by itself," she joked. "I went to class on Friday evenings, all day Saturday and I had some Sunday classes."
While still going after her bachelor's at JU, Tunsil landed a job at LCCC in the financial aid department as a financial aid specialist.
But by the time she got her bachelor's degree, the position for LCCC's financial aid director became available.
Confident she was capable of filling the position, Tunsil decided to apply and was successful in obtaining the job.
"It was exciting," Tunsil said. "And yet I knew the responsibilities associated with being the director."
Making the transition
Though she has been the director for about 12 years, Tunsil said it wasn't easy at first.
She credits other directors at community colleges and universities around the state helping her with questions she had and in dealing with new issues. And every opportunity she had, Tunsil also attended workshops and conferences to further her
training.
Since she has been director, Tunsil also further utilized the weekend studies program at JU to achieve her master's degree in business administration.
The hardest aspect about being in the administrative position, Tunsil said, was learning to supervise people that were previously her equals, some of which started at the same time.
"At first that was difficult but it's gotten easier over the years," she said. "I have a great staff and they make it easier."
And members of that staff think equally of her.
Evelyn Koch, financial aid specialist, has nothing but the highest opinion of Tunsil and believes "she is just the tops."
"She's got the patience of a saint," Koch said. "She's been a mentor to me and she is a wonderful person to work with. She's the type of person that put everyone else ahead of herself."
In the financial aid field, Tunsil said things are "never dull" because of all of the changes from year to year. But most of all, it is the opportunity to work with people and help them with their own future she cherishes most.
"The fact that I can help someone achieve their career goals," Tunsil said. "It makes me feel good when I can help them do that."
Barbara Anderson, dean of student services at LCCC, has known Tunsil for more than two years and acts as her supervisor.
"Debbie is an outstanding professional. She is very respected with her colleagues and staff in students services and in the state with other directors of financial aid," Anderson said. "I've worked in several different colleges and I've never been in a college where there were almost no complaints from students about financial aid. It's just amazing to me, so they do a great job."
Anderson said Tunsil is a big contributor to the departments success because "she's the model, she sets the tone and everyone that works for her has the same attitude and values that basically the students come first and also of accuracy."
Family ties
But not all of Tunsil's accomplishments have been professionally related. During her marriage of about 32 years, she also raised two boys Kiambe, 30, and Akil, 27.
Kiambe, Tunsil said, is "one of the new federal screeners" at Jacksonville International Airport. Recently she said her eldest son has not been at the job, but instead recuperating after he donated a kidney to an 8-year-old boy - a cousin who was in need.
Though it was cause for worry, Tunsil said both Kiambe and the cousin are doing well.
Tunsil said her youngest son, Akil, is currently working in his father's law office as a clerk.
When she has free time, Tunsil said she dabbles in photography, reads and - when able - likes to play
tennis.
Tunsil said she also is very active in her church and even teaches a Sunday school class of 3- to 5-year-olds.
"They are so much fun to teach," she said smiling. "It is very interesting from one Sunday to the next. They ask some very good questions from time to time."
It hasn't happened yet, but Tunsil said she hopes for more children in the family, only this time grandchildren.
If she has her way, Tunsil and her husband could visit those grandkids in between frequent travel to other countries.
"We want to travel abroad as we approach retirement in a few years," Tunsil said. "We want to travel to Africa in the next couple of years."
Even if she doesn't always have time for leisure, life is full for the girl from Locust Grove that made it to college, and well beyond.
"There's not of lot of free time for me," Tunsil said. "I like helping, that's why I'm always busy."
. wrote on Jan 30, 2008 11:01 AM: