Kathleen L. Iaea
WCC Fall 2005 – Spring 2009
Graduated with my AA
U.H. Manoa Fall 2009 – Spring 2012
Graduated with my BSW
WCC Fall 2005 – Spring 2009
Graduated with my AA
U.H. Manoa Fall 2009 – Spring 2012
Graduated with my BSW
I am one of six children and the only one to
attend college. I started college as a non-traditional student, and I felt ill
prepared in my English abilities. Both
written and oral were limited. My math skills were close to null. I never had
the mind set for school even as a young woman. After my divorce in the early 80ʻs I tried to attend college, but
failed miserably. So, I took the route of working at a job that would not
promote me because I had no degree. For a short time it was okay, because I had
two children to support, but deep down I knew that the only way was to try
college again.
After my second child went off to college, the thought of me attending college began to appear more frequently. Then one day I received the news that my oldest son had died while attending college in California. My life as I knew it changed drastically. While in deep grief, I made the decision to resign from a company that I gave eight years to, and fell into deep, dark depression. It took years for me to see a slight flicker of hope. That hope was entering college.
In the Fall of 2005 I decided to register at WCC. I said to myself, “I will try this again, and if I don’t feel good about being in college at my age, I will quit and go back to work.” I was an older woman that was unemployment and catching the bus to get to college, and many times just for those reasons alone, I wanted to quit. I trudged forward intent on finishing my first semester. It was my first semester in college I heard about TRIO. It was my first math class that forced me sign up with TRIO, and I would be grateful for the rest of life for TRIO, and that is NO lie.
Because I lived in the country, I would catch the bus in early, so I would be one of the first to arrive at school. It was TRIO that would allow me to enter a safe warm space to use their computers because I couldnʻt afford one of my own. Because money was so tight for me, it was TRIO that allowed me to make copies of my papers for class, free of charge, and at times even provided lunch. It was TRIO that made me feel like I belonged in school, because staff always made me feel welcomed. I met others in TRIO, some non-traditional, but all with the same goal, getting through the semester with a passing grade. TRIO held me accountable to where I wanted to succeed. I can truly say that I went as far as I did because of TRIO. I could have never graduated with my AA in Liberal Arts if I didnʻt have a math tutor, and that is the honest truth. TRIO helped me write my personal statement and a letter of recommendation that opened the doors to enter a four-year college. Being a part of TRIO taught me the importance of accepting the support of others, because now I can give back by giving that same type of encouragement and support.
Today, I am a Domestic Violence Advocate, working close to women who have experienced great trauma in their lives. I am able to use the knowledge I acquired in college, joined with the challenges that I experienced in my own life, professionally, to help others break through to a higher level of understanding. I always try to guide my clients to college, and it is okay if they feel that they may not be ready, though I continue to plant the seed of education, and always letting them know that there is help, there is TRIO. I have not given up on furthering my education. My next endeavor is applying for the MSW program at U.H. Manoa. I give great credit to TRIO for this mind set. I know I can do it because I did it already with the help of TRIO. Special Mahalo to Roy, Russell, Lance, Mrs. Shibuya, Mr. Akatsuka, and Ellen, I am forever grateful to you…
After my second child went off to college, the thought of me attending college began to appear more frequently. Then one day I received the news that my oldest son had died while attending college in California. My life as I knew it changed drastically. While in deep grief, I made the decision to resign from a company that I gave eight years to, and fell into deep, dark depression. It took years for me to see a slight flicker of hope. That hope was entering college.
In the Fall of 2005 I decided to register at WCC. I said to myself, “I will try this again, and if I don’t feel good about being in college at my age, I will quit and go back to work.” I was an older woman that was unemployment and catching the bus to get to college, and many times just for those reasons alone, I wanted to quit. I trudged forward intent on finishing my first semester. It was my first semester in college I heard about TRIO. It was my first math class that forced me sign up with TRIO, and I would be grateful for the rest of life for TRIO, and that is NO lie.
Because I lived in the country, I would catch the bus in early, so I would be one of the first to arrive at school. It was TRIO that would allow me to enter a safe warm space to use their computers because I couldnʻt afford one of my own. Because money was so tight for me, it was TRIO that allowed me to make copies of my papers for class, free of charge, and at times even provided lunch. It was TRIO that made me feel like I belonged in school, because staff always made me feel welcomed. I met others in TRIO, some non-traditional, but all with the same goal, getting through the semester with a passing grade. TRIO held me accountable to where I wanted to succeed. I can truly say that I went as far as I did because of TRIO. I could have never graduated with my AA in Liberal Arts if I didnʻt have a math tutor, and that is the honest truth. TRIO helped me write my personal statement and a letter of recommendation that opened the doors to enter a four-year college. Being a part of TRIO taught me the importance of accepting the support of others, because now I can give back by giving that same type of encouragement and support.
Today, I am a Domestic Violence Advocate, working close to women who have experienced great trauma in their lives. I am able to use the knowledge I acquired in college, joined with the challenges that I experienced in my own life, professionally, to help others break through to a higher level of understanding. I always try to guide my clients to college, and it is okay if they feel that they may not be ready, though I continue to plant the seed of education, and always letting them know that there is help, there is TRIO. I have not given up on furthering my education. My next endeavor is applying for the MSW program at U.H. Manoa. I give great credit to TRIO for this mind set. I know I can do it because I did it already with the help of TRIO. Special Mahalo to Roy, Russell, Lance, Mrs. Shibuya, Mr. Akatsuka, and Ellen, I am forever grateful to you…
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