Aneisa Rolen grew up in Williamsburg, Kentucky, a small town of 5,229.
Although she hasn’t lived there since she was 18, her Williamsburg hometown still feels like home. Aneisa credits the small community with teaching the importance of building relationships. She recounts watching family members solve community problems through those ‘networking skills’ of bonded relationships by making phone calls or visiting influential neighbors. These skills she would rely on throughout her life along with the importance of staying true to the values that led to good decisions and prioritizing what matters.
Those ‘networking’ skills interwoven with the guiding principles have provided Aneisa a common thread of capacity building throughout her career. She has been called to start new programs, build coalitions, mobilize volunteers and find the resources to ensure the success of those initiatives.
Aneisa Rolen and Pellissippi State Foundation scholarship recipient Paul Fisher, who graduated in Spring 2024. He is currently serving as an intern with WBIR, and will be attending Newberry College in the fall.
With each career turn, Aneisa has been motivated by the excitement of starting something new or taking an existing organization to new levels. As was instilled in her early Williamsburg community years, she has discovered true career satisfaction from developing and supporting others.
A favorite quote defines her mindset: “Never underestimate the power of a small group of committed people to change the world. In fact, it is the only thing that ever has.” –Margaret Mead
Aneisa exemplifies dedication through her work for Pellissippi State Community College:
“I truly enjoy thinking creatively and developing new ideas and solutions. When I accepted the position of executive director of the Pellissippi State Foundation, I did so with the knowledge that the College needed $10 million to complete two capital projects and add new student support resources. With the help of an incredible fundraising staff, including Marilyn Roddy, and 60 volunteers, we exceeded our goal and raised a total of $14 million. My significant career milestones and achievements are the result of collaboration with incredible co-workers and community volunteers.”
Aneisa has gained valuable insights from the ever-changing field of fundraising where her skillset has found her niche. She says flexibility and creativity are critical components to any project so she has a humorous image to remind her to remain resilient. “It may feel like having an outward smile of Wilma Flintstone and the feet of Fred Flintstone powering a prehistoric car—all at the same time. Humor plays a vital role in managing stress and improving overall well-being.”
Curtis and Aneisa Rolen
Aneisa’s most memorable career story also involves a little unintended matchmaking by colleague Marilyn Roddy at the BarberMcMurry Architects’ 100th anniversary celebration where future husband, Curtis, was attending.
At the time, Aneisa was responsible for Pellissippi State alumni relations and Roddy alerted Aneisa to the alumni/employee of BarberMcMurry that was also attending the event.
A crowded room, looking for someone named Curtis in a blue shirt, and a few minutes before her departure, she found him. Aneisa collected his card and later learned more about his Pellissippi State story where Curtis graduated in 1986 with a degree in electrical engineering technologies.
The college’s career services offices garnered Curtis Rolen an interview at BarberMcMurry Architects, and 38 years later, the company still employs him. His success story is her favorite to tell, and she obviously added herself to his story and him to hers.
As with most career professionals, Aneisa struggles at maintaining a healthy work-life balance although she credits husband Curtis with some improvement over the last few years. They seek opportunities to truly unplug from phones and computers, taking drives in the mountains, visiting small towns and going on Curtis- planned getaways.
They also love to go to antique stores in those small towns, especially looking for vintage casserole dishes that can be used for gifts. Aneisa is “absolutely obsessed with meal prep and cooking for the amazing people in my life that need a little extra help. When I am in the kitchen, I am thinking of nothing else but the task at hand. It is an incredible stress reliever. I think about how my efforts are making someone else’s life easier. It is definitely my love language.”
She calls herself the food fairy when she delivers a casserole in a vintage dish from one of their small town antique trips.
Aneisa Rolen knows immediately which language of The Five Love Languages is hers to own. “Acts of Service will always be where I land professionally and personally. I feel great satisfaction when I can focus on helping others with tasks that make their life better or easier. For me, having a future with acts of service in mind is one I look forward to.”
Not surprising, another of her favorite quotes: “We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give. “–Winston Churchill.
All of us have a story and we want to tell yours! Send them to susan@knoxtntoday.com.
Pellissippi State Community College is a public community college based in Knox and Blount counties in Tennessee and operated by the Tennessee Board of Regents. The college operates four campuses: Hardin Valley, Blount County, Strawberry Plains and Magnolia Avenue.
