Shawntrice McQueen Andrews is a Raleigh-based educator, actual property skilled, and group chief whose life and work mirror a deep dedication to service, empowerment, and compassion. A proud alumna of Shaw College and a licensed North Carolina educator in each particular and elementary schooling, Shawntrice devoted 20 years of her life to educating at Torchlight Academy Constitution College. Identified for her integrity, heat, and tireless work ethic, she grew to become a cornerstone of the college group, volunteering her time, uplifting underserved college students, and constructing significant relationships with households and colleagues alike. Earlier than coming into schooling, she was a licensed cosmetologist and former mannequin with a artistic aptitude for magnificence and design. When Torchlight Academy closed in 2022, she gracefully pivoted to actual property and property administration, utilizing her folks expertise to assist households discover houses and navigate main life adjustments. Whether or not in a classroom, a house, or a group house, Shawntrice McQueen Andrews leads with empathy and objective, leaving a legacy of optimistic impression wherever she goes.
You spent 20 years as an educator in an under-resourced group. What stored you dedicated to that work for therefore lengthy?
My college students stored me going. Each youngster that walked into my classroom carried a narrative, a wrestle, or a spark that wanted nurturing. I couldn’t flip away from that. I knew my presence mattered — not simply as a instructor, however as a mentor, a task mannequin, and a supply of consistency. Educating in an under-resourced faculty meant I wore many hats. I used to be a instructor, a counselor, a dad or mum determine. I stayed as a result of I noticed how a lot these children wanted somebody to consider in them, and I couldn’t abandon that calling. It wasn’t straightforward, nevertheless it was deeply fulfilling.
You had been additionally a licensed cosmetologist and mannequin earlier than turning into a instructor. How did these experiences affect your work in schooling?
These early experiences helped me construct confidence and creativity — each of which had been essential within the classroom. As a cosmetologist and mannequin, I realized the worth of presentation, shallowness, and self-expression. I introduced that into educating by encouraging my college students to take delight in themselves. I even used my magnificence expertise to assist college students who had been being bullied for his or her look. I’ve combed, styled, and washed children’ hair earlier than faculty simply to assist them stroll into class feeling assured. That form of care sends a message: you’re worthy, and you’re seen.
Torchlight Academy closed in 2022. How did that chapter ending have an effect on you personally and professionally?
It was emotional. That faculty was like household — we laughed, cried, grew, and constructed one thing significant collectively. Dropping that group felt like dropping part of myself. But it surely additionally opened a door for me to reimagine how I might serve. I didn’t cease serving to folks — I simply modified the setting. Actual property grew to become a brand new manner for me to offer stability, assist, and options to households, particularly those that didn’t at all times really feel heard or understood in that course of.
You’re identified for going above and past — even shopping for uniforms or volunteering to fashion college students’ hair. Why was that so essential to you?
As a result of dignity issues. When a baby is teased for his or her garments or hair, it chips away at their confidence. I couldn’t let that occur on my watch. I at all times thought, “What if this had been my youngster?” If I had the means to assist, I did — whether or not that meant shopping for uniforms or displaying up early to fashion hair. When college students really feel cared for, they present up in a different way. They really feel secure, revered, and able to study. That’s what I needed for each one among them.
What do you contemplate your proudest second as an educator?
Main a visit to China with our college students was a life-changing second. To assist kids from low-income backgrounds journey internationally, see a brand new tradition, and broaden their worldview — that was unbelievable. We fundraised like loopy, made certain each youngster had a passport, and ready them academically and emotionally. Watching their eyes gentle up in a brand new nation was unforgettable. It jogged my memory that schooling is greater than books — it’s about experiences that rework lives.
How did you construct belief with college students and oldsters through the years?
By being constant, trustworthy, and deeply human. I by no means placed on a entrance — I met households the place they had been, listened with out judgment, and confirmed up with options. I at all times instructed dad and mom, “We’re on this collectively.” Whether or not a baby was struggling academically or behaviorally, I approached it with empathy. That strategy created relationships constructed on mutual respect. I earned their belief not simply in moments of reward, however within the onerous conversations too.
What was the largest problem you confronted in your educating profession, and the way did you overcome it?
Burnout. The emotional weight of caring deeply for therefore many kids, usually in high-stress environments, may be overwhelming. However I overcame it by staying rooted in objective and leaning on my religion. I additionally practiced self-care in ways in which fed my spirit — prayer, creativity, and surrounding myself with optimistic folks. Each time I felt like giving up, a pupil or dad or mum would say one thing that jogged my memory why I began.
How has your transition into actual property mirrored your strengths as a instructor and chief?
Actual property, like educating, is about belief, communication, and understanding folks’s wants. I’m not simply promoting houses — I’m guiding folks via emotional, usually life-changing selections. I carry the identical compassion and advocacy to this subject as I did in schooling. I hear deeply, advocate fiercely, and keep organized and clear. My background has made me extremely detail-oriented and people-focused — that’s what makes the distinction in each fields.
What recommendation would you give to somebody contemplating a profession in schooling right this moment?
Go in with coronary heart, persistence, and a willingness to develop. Educating just isn’t a job — it’s a mission. It’s important to love folks, consider in change, and be okay with delayed gratification. The impression may not at all times present instantly, however belief me, you’re planting seeds that bloom later. Additionally, encompass your self with mentors, discover your personal assist community, and maintain your psychological well being. Your presence issues greater than you recognize.
What do you hope your legacy might be — as an educator, an expert, and an individual?
I hope folks keep in mind that I led with love. That I stood within the hole for individuals who felt unseen. That I made folks really feel secure, valued, and impressed. Whether or not in a classroom or in a house, I would like my legacy to be one among service, grace, and the ability of displaying up wholeheartedly. I didn’t should be well-known to make a distinction — I simply needed to care deeply and act accordingly.
Have you ever learn?
The World’s Greatest Medical Faculties.
The World’s Greatest Universities.
The World’s Greatest Worldwide Excessive Faculties.
The World’s Greatest Enterprise Faculties.
The World’s Greatest Trend Faculties.
The World’s Greatest Hospitality And Lodge Administration Faculties.
