Jillian McCarty is full of energy and life
Staff writer
Whether on the Tabor College campus, at the Health Post, or shopping downtown, anyone meeting Jillian McCarty will be greeted with a warm smile and enthusiasm that will certainly help to "chase the blues away."
Born in White Plains, New York, Jillian is the oldest of six children born to Jack and Helen Bailey.
When she was 10, the family moved to Nashville, Tenn., and she graduated from Brentwood High School there in 1983.
She then attended Middle Tennessee State University, majoring in secondary education/physical education.
She received her masters in health and physical education and recreation and safety.
At MTSU Jillian met her husband-to-be Tim McCarty. Tim was coaching for MTSU's football team.
The couple married in July of 1989.
Between 1989-90, they lived in Kansas City, where Jillian taught at Johnson County Community College.
In the summer of 1990, they moved to Dodge City when Tim accepted a coaching position at Dodge City Community College.
From 1990-94 at Dodge City, Jillian taught health and physical education and served as director of its fitness center.
From 1994-98, Tim served as assistant football coach at Southwest Baptist University in Bolivar, Mo., and Jillian taught elementary physical education for four years.
"Jobs were hard to find there," Jillian said. "God just opened up a door. One day I walked into the superintendent's office, and a job had just opened up."
In 1998, Tim accepted a coaching position at Greenville College in Greenville, Ill. The family stayed there for one year.
"During that year I was a stay-at-home mom," Jillian said.
In 1999, Tim was offered the head coaching job at Tabor College.
"Tim had always wanted a head coaching job," she said. "So we moved to Hillsboro."
Jillian sought part-time jobs to help supplement their income.
While in Hillsboro, Jillian has helped manage the city swimming pool and helped run the golf course club house for two or three years.
She currently is the photographer at Tabor, her main job, and director of the Health Post.
At the Health Post, Jillian is responsible for scheduling appointments, running the day-to-day operations of the facility, and devising exercise prescriptions for the clients.
"My jobs work around my kids' schedules, and it works out pretty well," she said.
With so much energy, Jillian still manages to work out, and her hobbies are just that — sports and exercising. She also likes to do scrapbooking and loves to be creative in her cooking and trying health recipes.
She and her family attend Parkview Mennonite Brethren Church. She is involved in the women's ministries and teaches Sunday school to third grade girls.
She has served on the Hillsboro Elementary School Site Council.
When asked what makes her so happy and upbeat, Jillian replied, "I think I was born happy; my family is like that."
Jillian loves to meet new people, learn about new people, and see how different places are.
"I accept people for what they are," she said. "Sometimes I'm considered a little too laid back — things don't seem to bother me."
"When I wake up in the morning, I'm so proud to live in a country where I'm free and can feel safe," she said. "God has blessed the country and my family and me, and I'm so thankful for that."
Living in Hillsboro reminds Jillian of a Norman Rockwell painting — "where everybody knows each other and I feel safe."
