A few weeks ago, UCA’s Academic Advising Center welcomed Carrie Tinsley as its newest Education Counselor for the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics. We’re so thrilled to have Carrie join our team! We immediately fell in love with Carrie’s outgoing personality and sense of humor, and we wanted to give you the opportunity to get to know her a little better as well.

What are three things we should know about you, Carrie?

• I’m a former high school English teacher.
• I love to challenge people to do and be their best–to reach their full potential–but I’ll do it with humor. I love to make people laugh!
• I wear a lot of different “hats” as a mom, a wife, a friend, and a colleague. And now, in my new role as an advisor, I’m so excited to be able to help students realize their full potential.

What inspires you?

It sounds cliché, but seeing students succeed really does inspire me! I love watching students “get it” and finally realize their academic maturity and go from being a passive bystander to being a passionate participant!

If I wasn’t an academic advisor, I would be…

In my yoga pants! Just kidding (kind of)!

For the past several years, I’ve been a stay-at-home mom, which I absolutely loved. But now that my children have gotten a little older, the time just seemed right to make a transition back to work. I was a high school English teacher for many years, so I knew I wanted to return to a career that was related to education. All the pieces just fell into place, and I couldn’t be happier to be at UCA!

Any hidden talents?

Well, it’s not really a “hidden” talent per se, but I love to write. It’s a dream of mine to write a novel some day!

Favorite author?

I can’t pick just one! I love reading fiction, so anything by Jane Austen for classic fiction, and Liane Moriarty for modern fiction. I also really love autobiographies. Last night, I finished reading Hillbilly Elegy by J.D. Vance, which is a memoir about the author’s personal struggle of growing up as a poor, white American in Kentucky’s Appalachia region and then moving to Ohio and eventually going to Yale Law School.  It was really fascinating read–I highly recommend it!

Favorite thing about the fall?

Definitely college football! I graduated from Ole Miss, and my dad played football for Vanderbilt, so those are my teams!

Feelings about pumpkin spice?

Ugh. I’m kind of anti-pumpkin spice! It’s just too much.

Favorite Halloween candy?

Literally anything chocolate. I may have a problem.

Coffee or tea?

Always coffee.

Cats or dogs?

I’ve had cats and dogs over the years, so I love both. My golden retriever, Lexi, is seriously the best dog ever, so if I absolutely had to choose, I guess I would choose dogs.

Favorite type of music?

Modern country and NPR are my jam.

Favorite restaurant in Conway?

My family loves Old Chicago.

If you could live anywhere besides Conway, where would it be and why?

Hmmm…I’m a total “lake” girl, so probably in some cool cabin on the lake somewhere. Really, I just love water–fishing, skiing, boating–anything on the water.

What’s one thing you wished you had known when you started college?

You have to be doing what you love or it just won’t work. You need to be passionate about what you’re doing! Be authentic to yourself and play to your strengths.

What’s your personal mantra?

“A rising tide lifts all boats.” – John F. Kennedy