At the Tutoring Center in TJC’s Vaughn library, Sherry Towns greets every student with a smile, one shaped by decades of connection with the campus she calls a home away from home.
“I actually started here as a student,” Towns said with a laugh. “I was a freshman in 1979. I married and moved away for 25 years, then came back to Tyler when I was 45. And I’ve been here ever since.”
After returning in 2006, Towns began working in the Nursing and Health Sciences Center, later transferring to developmental education, and eventually settling into the Tutoring Center, where she’s been since 2013. Her current title might read Front Desk Assistant, but that barely captures what she does.
“There are a lot of things going on this semester. Not only tutoring, but all the labs are now centered in the library. That’s really exciting,” she said.
From Drama to Art
When she was a student, Towns majored in drama. But years later, she discovered a lifelong passion for art after returning to campus as an employee.
“Faculty and staff can take two free classes a semester,” she explained. “So, I signed up for art, and I just fell in love with it.”
Since then, she’s painted murals, window art and glass paintings in the library. One of her most visible contributions is the window project in the Tutoring Center, a colorful series of panels, each representing a decade of TJC history.
“I was looking around one day and realized we had just enough windows for every decade,” she recalled. “So, I thought, let’s create the walls of the story of our college.”
With the help of the campus archives, she filled the windows with photos and moments from 1926 to today.
“It started as a Homecoming decoration,” she said, “But I hope we can keep it up until TJC’s 100th birthday.”
Creativity, Chaos, and C.R.A.P.
Towns explained her process of creating her artwork. “My art philosophy is actually an acronym: C.R.A.P. Creativity Requires A Pile!” She explains that she needs to be surrounded by ideas, objects and a little bit of chaos to spark inspiration.
Her creativity doesn’t stop at painting. She writes songs, practices printmaking and constantly finds new ways to express herself.
“TJC is such a great place for that. There are so many opportunities for students, faculty and staff to be creative,” she said.
Many of her works are inspired by personal moments, like a painting of her pug sitting in a suitcase, captured mid-adventure.
“It’s those little snapshots of life that spark ideas,” she said.
A Campus and Community in Motion
For Towns, TJC isn’t just where she works. It’s where her story keeps unfolding. She has witnessed the campus grow, not only in buildings and programs but also in diversity.
“When I first started, it seemed like we mostly had German students for tennis and golf,” she recalled. “Now we have students from so many countries, Japan, Brazil, South Africa and even international tutors. It’s like you stay in Texas, but you get to see the world. The world comes to you.”
Yet some things haven’t changed: the welcoming spirit of TJC. Towns recalled how students once viewed tutoring as a “dirty little secret,” afraid to ask for help. Now, it’s seen as a mark of initiative.
“We always tell students, come early, come often,” she said. “You might just need someone to confirm you’re on the right track. Professors are welcoming, and we’re here to help.”
Full Circle
She has also witnessed generations grow alongside the campus.
“My oldest daughter took a couple of classes, my sons a few, and my grandson graduated not long ago. We’ve had student workers go on to amazing careers. One of them became a teacher and now brings his middle school class to visit us. It’s like watching the next generation grow,” she said.
For Towns, TJC is more than a place; it is a home. A place where her story began, where creativity thrives and where the community continues to welcome new generations.
“I would just say it’s like my home away from home,” Towns reflected. “We’re here for the students, and we love to see them.”
