Mrs. Jaycee (Hallum) Bell (’16), a Marshall native, left for college but ultimately returned home to ETBU, where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Child Development with a Minor in English. She has also completed her graduate work at LSU-Shreveport, earning a Specialist in School Psychology degree and fulfilling the requirements for her Texas Licensure, as well as becoming a Nationally Certified School Psychologist. Mrs. Bell currently resides in Lindale, TX, and works as a school psychologist, evaluating students aged 3-21 for special education, emotional/behavioral disorders, responding to campus crises, and providing psychological and counseling services to special education students. She married her husband, Ryan, in January of 2025.
Follow along and hear from Jaycee as she shares her story and experiences from ETBU.
I originally began my college career at Texas A&M University, but feeling slightly overwhelmed by the size of the campus and missing being a part of small community, I decided to transfer to ETBU during my sophomore year and was also a part of the softball team that season; I still have my nice fancy ring from our team’s success that season!
There are so many faculty members who made an impact on my life, not just for their knowledge about what they were teaching, but their passion for students and ability to meet students where they were. Being from Marshall, I knew several of the professors before attending ETBU, and having known them both personally and academically, I always felt a special connection to them.
Dr. White taught the study abroad Victorian literature course, and I remember him packing the morning time with tours, train rides to other cities, and lessons; then would allow us to venture out on our own and see more of the city and expand our interests, but he always made sure we knew where we were going and how we were getting there. On that trip, a few of us were able to use the free time to travel to C.S. Lewis’ house and experience it firsthand, which was incredible. My love for reading and literature was challenged during that trip, and I grew my ability to interpret and comprehend text.
Dr. New, Dr. Benefield, and Dr. Smith helped establish a love for observing and understanding human behavior from infancy to adulthood. I learned to see people for more than their actions and how to approach every experience through a different lens.
Dr. Deel and Dr. Miller connected with students through humor and their personal experiences, making those classes personable and interesting.
Dr. Nandamudi challenged my understanding of government and current events. He wants you to stay connected and involved in what’s happening around you rather than being oblivious to our world.
The biggest impact was the intentionality of my professors. While they kept office hours, they operated by an open-door policy. You could always pop your head in and ask them a question or for help. I always liked that the psych department was in the basement of Marshall Hall. It was like its own little unit down there. Those professors imparted a wealth of knowledge and brought so much practical and hands-on experience to what they taught.
I remain friends with a lot of the students I met on campus and graduated with. Several of my classmates are now staff on campus. It's great to know that future minds are being guided and led by my peers. I love seeing young people and families wanting to stay in Marshall and invest in the community.
Looking back, I think about intramural sports like co-ed slow-pitch softball, studying and reading outside of the student center in the quad, going to the Caf for every meal, and riding razor scooters around campus to class.
If I needed anything, a professor or a close friend was always there for me and close by. I believe ETBU instilled in me an academic and professional confidence that I can now apply to my everyday life, whether it is personal or professional. I always appreciated the time and passion my professors poured into their lectures, as well as the importance of the relationships I made there. ETBU is like a community within a community, it's hard to describe to someone who has never experienced it. It fostered a conscious and motivated work ethic while highlighting the importance of collaboration and relationships. I can remember feeling so prayed over, I mean, intentionally prayed over and for. I now pray over the students and families I serve. My professors saw a genuine kindness in me that they made sure to communicate and nurture, which has influenced how I approach everyone I come into contact with. I always appreciated that they brought out the best in me by speaking life and encouragement into me.