Tammy Cox (née Small), originally from Lumberton, North Carolina, graduated in 2019 with a B.S. in career and technical education, with a concentration in business, marketing and entrepreneurship. Currently, Cox is a marketing education teacher at Cape Fear High School in Fayetteville, North Carolina, teaching 9th-12th graders business and marketing education courses - Project Management I, Project Management II Global Honors, and Business Management.
“When I made the decision to become a teacher, Appalachian State University was my first choice of continuing that journey. My dream as a young girl was to attend App State and the reputation of the teaching education program far exceeded my expectations. With all the normal drawbacks of completing a totally online program, I never felt disconnected. Every single staff member from admissions, financial advisor, academic advisor, professors, etc. made my undergraduate time an experience I will never forget. With the use of advanced technology, I was able to build strong friendships with classmates and staff. My main take-away from this experience was the importance of building relationships in order to be an effective teacher. App State and the staff hold a very special spot in my heart.”
This year, Cox will also be a member of the School Improvement Team.
As a first-year teacher, Cox received recognition for Beginning Teacher of the Year at Cape Fear High School. “Being selected as the Beginning Teacher of the Year was a very humbling experience,” said Cox.
“I count it an honor to be able to teach, and I feel that it is my calling,” she continued. “I love my school, administration, and the students that enter my classroom. Appalachian State and the professors that I was fortunate to have taught me that in order to teach I have to build relationships with my students. I have found that to be the foundation of building a safe and respectable classroom environment as well as friendships with my colleagues.”
Impacting Education in Her Community
Cox is making an impact on education in her community. “Being new to Cumberland County, I feel like the best way that I can impact the community is to build strong relationships with my students and their parents,” she said.
“This past year my main focus was to be engaged with my students in the classroom,” she continued. “I loved finding out about their dreams and goals for the future.”
Cox notes that another way to impact education in the community is to volunteer to lead and organize events held on campus. “This gives my students the opportunity to use their soft skills in a "real-world" setting,” she said.
“This past year some of my marketing students assisted in organizing a community spirit event for all the sister elementary schools that feed into Cape Fear High School,” Cox added.
Cox also supported her colleagues during COVID-19. “While schools were reverted to a remote learning environment, I was very happy to assist my fellow co-workers in setting up their Google Classrooms online and share some valuable resources through a school page.”
Tammy Cox
