Pamela Simmons: Wise & Courageous

Welcome to The Wise & Courageous Podcast, where we host conversations with women leaders about how they are seeking and engaging wisdom and courage in their leadership and work in this unique season.

“Once you have been to the edge of the cliff, it gives you a heart for others who are feeling like they are barely hanging on.” — Pamela Simmons

Pamela Simmons joins Nancy Pedulla on The Wise and Courageous Podcast for a conversation about her journey to becoming an instructor who is passionate about serving community college students with a heart for each person’s situation and needs.

Professor Pamela Simmons found her calling as an educator while tutoring classmates as an undergraduate. She loves “demystifying” accounting — translating complex ideas into something clear, practical, and even enjoyable lessons for her students. A CPA with both an MBA and a Master’s in Accounting from Kent State University, she taught at Kent State University, Hiram College, Wayne College, and Baldwin Wallace University before finding her home at the student-centered Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C). She remains dedicated to helping every student overcome challenges and reach their fullest potential.

How do you find the Lord’s invitations in the midst of the circumstances of your life? Pamela shares her unexpected career journey, from working in the university business office to deciding she wanted to invest her time in teaching others in a student-centered college. She describes her experience as the mom of a disabled child and the way that has deeply impacted her teaching and her values.

Listen for her determination to help a sight impaired student pass a challenging Accounting course. Listen to the end to hear about how prayer infuses her work with students. For the purposes of this podcast, we are defining leadership as the stewardship of people, culture and purpose, guiding and serving others toward a shared vision or outcomes.

Welcome to the conversation!

— Nancy Pedulla

 

For show notes or more information please visit our article at The Well.

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