Bevill State Community’s College Dean of Students Has a Purpose-Driven Life

Words by Terrell Manasco | Photo by Al Blanton

John F. Kennedy said that efforts and courage are worthless without purpose. It is the fuel which propels us forward, guides us, and drives us to succeed. For Bevill State Community College Dean of Students Melissa Stowe, having a purpose is as critical as a ship having a rudder. 

 Raised in a single-parent home in Guin, Alabama, Melissa always had strong women in her life to guide her. “My grandmother and mother played a pivotal role in my upbringing,” she says. “My high school counselor, Mrs. Goodwin, was instrumental in my college pursuits be helping me get a college scholarship. Without these women and many others, I don’t think I would be where I am today.”

 After graduating from Marion County High School, Melissa was a business major and student worker at Northwest Alabama Community College’s Hamilton campus (which later became part of Bevill State). She soon realized she loved helping students. “I think God placed me in the right places at the right time,” she says. 

 In 1993, Melissa earned her associate degree from Northwest Alabama Community College’s Hamilton campus, followed by her bachelor’s degree from Stillman College’s Management Institute program on BSCC’s Sumiton campus in 1998. She earned her master’s degree in Higher Education in 2002 from The University of Alabama. She began her career with Bevill State as the student records clerk on the Fayette campus in 1994 and has served in other roles through the years. She has been Dean of Students since 2016. 

 “Being Dean of Students involves a lot of the administrative functions of the division,” Melissa explains. “Everything a student needs help with outside of the classroom—getting them in college, support services, financial aid, etc.” 

 The shockwave from COVID-19 in 2020 left ripples of chaos that are still being felt a year later. Now more than ever, returning to a sense of normalcy requires having a purpose, a concept Melissa has adopted as a mantra.

 “One thing I want to focus on this year is purpose. It’s very important to me to make sure everything has a purpose,” she says. “I always try to make sure I'm serving a purpose in life and to people in general.”

 COVID-19 has necessitated the implementation of changes which have created challenges for Bevill State’s administration, faculty, and students. Adding to that, Melissa has her own mountain she must climb each day. “I am a true introverted person. I have to force myself to do things like this (interview),” she says, laughing. “But sometimes I have to be an extroverted person.” 

 Despite the challenges of this past year, Melissa says the cloud has a silver lining. “It’s been beneficial because you learn we don’t have to do things the old paper-based way—we can be innovative and do it differently,” she says. 

 Retirement may be a few years off, but Melissa already has ideas about the next chapter. “I’m all about helping people,” she says. “Maybe I’ll create a nonprofit. There are a lot of nonprofit resources in Walker County. You don’t see that in Fayette County. I see an opportunity there to do something.” 

 Whatever road Melissa chooses, it’s a safe bet she will find purpose along the path. 78