“The tests we face in life’s journey are not to reveal our weaknesses but to help us discover our inner strengths. We can only know how strong we are when we strive and thrive beyond the challenges we face” (Kemi Sogunle).
Seth McLemore understands a good challenge and has grown in his passions and talents because of the challenges he comes across.
“I’m always looking for a challenge. No matter how hard or rough it is, I always love a good challenge,” stated Seth. “If you bring something to me, such as a computer or some other technology that is no longer working anymore, I’ll do everything I can to get it working again or repurpose it. For me, overcoming a challenge and getting things to work again is like a teacher getting that aha moment from a student.”
Although Seth generally picks his challenges with technology, he has overcome a major challenge with school.
“I went to Meridian Community College thanks to a guy named Josh Taylor. I didn’t do very well on the ACT, and they made me take the ACCUPLACER test for MCC. I didn’t quite get in with that test, but Josh Taylor waived the ACT and ACCUPLACER test scores and said they’d take me in anyways.”
Once he overcame the challenge of entering college, Seth excelled in his studies. He managed to graduate with high honors with an Associate’s Degree in broadcasting. Seth worked with the production department while he attended the college, and it is his favorite job that he has had.
“It really wasn’t work for me because I loved doing it,” explained Seth. “I went in every day excited about what we would be doing that day.”
He was also a member of some of the most prestigious honor societies on the campus: Phi Theta Kappa and National Technical Honor Society.
“It just shows that you shouldn’t judge a person by a test score,” said Seth. “People are much smarter than a test score can ever show. A test score is just a number that doesn’t show how smart a person really is or what a person is capable of doing.”
His dream is to be a televised news reporter where he can go out and meet new people and share their stories with everyone. His love for broadcasting started at a very young age. It was later on when he became interested in journalism as well.
“I fell in love with broadcasting when I was first introduced to it in the lower elementary. We had a reading thing that we were having a little parade for, and WTOK came out,” reminisced Seth. “Later that night when we were watching the news, my mom pointed me out on the TV, and I was amazed. That started my interest in broadcasting. I didn’t become interested in broadcasting until my senior year in high school when I took the broadcasting class with Mrs. Martin.”
Seth has other passions and interest outside of broadcasting.
“I have a true passion for broadcast journalism, but I have a secondary passion for computers and other electronics,” stated Seth. “I can just look at a computer and spot a problem immediately.”
Seth also flies drones and obtained his hobbyist license so that he could fly them in public. He was able to fly his drones and take pictures of the baseball field and unique buildings while he attended MCC.
Outside of his hobbies, Seth is active in his church: Elim Baptist Church. He is the sound director at church and is willing to help with anything they need.
With Seth’s Christian beliefs and his enjoyment of overcoming challenges, it comes as no surprise that his advice for everyone focuses on how to handle the mistakes and challenges in life.
“When life has you down, Christ will lift you up. Keep on going and moving forward, and don’t look back. People make mistakes. It’s how we make up for those mistakes that matters.”
