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Shannon Savoy is a proud Bristol grad, having earned her degree in 2015. She began working at the Taunton Center as a work-study, then became the first staff member at the Taunton location. Over the past decade, she has witnessed the transformation of the Taunton Center from a small site to a full-service location. Lauren Wood, intern in the Marketing & Communications Department, recently sat down with Shannon to learn more about her journey.  

Are you a Bristol Grad?
Yes, I graduated in 2015 with a degree in Management.

How long have you been at Bristol?
As of this June (2024), I have been at Bristol for 10 years, and have served at five Taunton locations.

Tell me about your background.
I was born and raised in Taunton and have a 25-year-old son. I also raised my two youngest sisters, so because of that, every year I run into someone I know asking how they can become a student at Bristol, whether it鈥檚 on Facebook or in the community.

What drew you to work at Bristol specifically?
I was laid off from my job in 2014 and knew that I wanted to go back to school to earn my degree. The convenience and low cost drew me to enroll as a student at Bristol. During my second semester, I was approached by the location鈥檚 director and was offered a work-study position. Within a few months as a work-study, I was hired as the first staff member in Taunton and have been at the location ever since.

What does a typical day look like for you?
I never have a typical day and that is what I love about my job! One day, I might be assisting  
the Dean with the course schedule for the upcoming semester, and the next I could be assisting with a registration event for students. After that, I could be planning a Bayhawk Night with Bristol鈥檚 Basketball Team.

How do you support students at Bristol鈥檚 Taunton Center?  
I help students with various tasks and questions related to registration, student accounts, academic programs or courses, financial aid status and more. I also assist students by connecting them with the Taunton Center鈥檚 resources and making appointments for them with Bristol鈥檚 faculty and staff, if they have in-depth questions.

What types of changes have you witnessed?    
I have seen Bristol鈥檚 Taunton location grow from 60 students with no services at the Freidman location, to the college鈥檚 own full-service center on 2 Hamilton St. Also, I have been involved in recruitment efforts, as the location was the first Taunton-designated site for 热点爆料入口. I have seen the location grow from one staff member to over a dozen support staff, as well as the renovations of the Taunton Center鈥檚 gym 鈥� the first home court of the Bayhawk Basketball Team.

How/in what ways have these changes impacted how the Taunton Center serves its students?
One example is that Taunton students would previously have to travel to separate Bristol locations to access resources or support services, such as advising, tutoring and disability services. Now, we can offer these services and more to all students in Taunton. Everything is centrally located in one place.

What makes Bristol Taunton special?
Faculty, staff and students often tell me that the location has a 鈥渇amily鈥� feel to it. At the Taunton Center, there is often one representative from each college department, so we all work closely with each other to best serve students. By collaborating, many times students do not need to visit another Bristol location to access a service or staff member.

What are some student engagement opportunities available to learners at the Taunton Center?
At the Taunton Center, we provide several engaging activities throughout the semester including paint nights, pumpkin painting, Welcome Week events, end-of-year-celebrations, prize wheels and more.

What are some of your personal interests outside of the college?
Outside of Bristol, I love to garden, travel, swim, cook, and spend time with my friends and family.

What are some unique offerings at the Bristol Taunton Center?
The Taunton Center offers a robust English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) program, with an extensive wait list. In addition to the gymnasium, we also have a large auditorium used for various purposes, including theatre productions, community events and public speaking courses.