PIEDMONT COLLEGE- Professor Melissa Tingle, from the sounds of music to mass communication scholars.

“A happy accident,” Melissa Tingle said when asked how she was led onto the path of teaching. “I was supposed to be a musician, and that’s what originally went to school for.”

Tingle was born in Clayton county where she would grow up in a world of music. This would drive her throughout her life till circumstances would take control. These circumstance would move her away from the life of a musician towards a life of cultivating young scholars.

“I had trained in classical music since i was 4,” she said. “It was something that i had always done and was a part of my family’s expectations and the expectations id set for myself.”

She would follow music as more opportunities opened up to her. It seemed like music was going to be Tingle’s life until faith pushed her towards what would become her passion.

“After i had my first daughter,” she said. “I went back to school and i understood that going back into the music program was going to take to much time from my family… I also felt like i was supposed to be moving in a different direction.”

This led her to enroll in the communication field which would later lead to her position as professor. Although what she learned here would only be a portion of what she uses as a teacher.

“My first work experience was running the cash register for my grandmother every morning.” she said. “I’m talking like 9 and 10 years of age.”

She would continue with this job until the store was sold. When she was a senior she worked with the FUN company which coordinated business events nationwide. While at the time she didn’t know it this work would give her teaching later in life a uniqueness not many have.

“All of my corporate events experience with marketing and promotions, experience with logistics and PR have shaped how i teach that to my students.” she said. “I worked with some really big companies like Coca-Cola, nissan, Fleet, and Toyota learning how to navigate those relationships… Learning how to communicate organizationally to deliver a event, coordinate a event, iaison between key players. Those are things i like to pass onto my students.”

She has used this experience to give a unique education to her student that couldn’t be offered by anyone else. Her students love her classes as much as she loves them.

“Dr. Tingle is a great professor.” said Savannah Richards, Freshman Mass Communications major. “As students, we can tell she cares about the subject material and genuinely wants us to succeed.”

Melissa Tingle’s life has given her the ability to change so many more through teaching. Her experience mixed with her personality will continue to inspire students for generations.

“She taught us to form our own opinions and stand firmly with them.” said Jesskah Stewart, Freshman Mass Communication Major. “I am forever grateful!”