Category: TRIO Student of the Month

Kate Bosma is starting her final semester in SC4’s Associate Degree Nursing program. Although she’s nearing the end of this part of her educational journey, she faced significant barriers when she decided to return to college to pursue a career in nursing.

“Financial barriers were huge,” Bosma explained. “Coming back to college involved a major career shift, and I already had a previous degree. I was able to earn scholarship assistance, however, from both SC4 and the Community Foundation.”

It had also been a while since Bosma had taken classes, so relearning how to be a college student again was also a major hurdle, but resources like SC4’s Achievement Center and the TRIO Student Support Service Program paved the way for her success.

“Returning to college presented emotional struggles, too,” Bosma recalled. “But support from my amazing husband, my perfect daughter, and my family helped to keep me going whenever I wanted to give up.”

Bosma heard about the TRIO program during an orientation session for the ADN program. After hearing the requirements, she thought she’d be a good match, especially as a returning student with a family and a full-time job. “I knew I could use all of the help I could get to succeed,” she said.

“TRIO helped me succeed in many ways. Personal advising sessions, encouragement and words of advice, and stress relief from cultural enrichment opportunities offered through the program allowed me to take a break from my books and get some stress relief,” Bosma said. “I’d recommend TRIO without a doubt! College can be hard, so the more support systems you have built up will only help you succeed.”

Bosma is grateful to many people at SC4 for helping her make it to the finish line of her degree.

“Where to start?” she laughed. “Shawne Jowett and Amy Hengehold in TRIO have been so helpful. The free tutors in the Achievement Center got me back on my feet and into the groove of being a student again. Anne McPherson helped me find resources to aid in my success and taught me how to study effectively. Professor Carrie Dollar, whose classes I took when I was at SC4 the first time and now during my return, helped me develop confidence while completing the biology pre-requisites for the ADN program.”

All of her instructors have pushed Bosma to succeed and have given her the tools she’ll need to be a nurse. “I’ll look back and remember the women who not only taught me skills, but who also made me realize exactly why I want to be a nurse, even on the hard days.”

Bosma will graduate in May, then will take the NCLEX licensing exam to become an official Registered Nurse. She plans to enter the workforce while also continuing her nursing education.

“The opportunities are endless,” she said, “and my story is just beginning.”

For her dedication to her educational goals, Kate Bosma is the January 2021 TRIO Student of the Month. Congratulations!

Attending your first college classes can be exciting, but there can also be surprises and frustrations that make success more difficult. Having support, especially at the beginning, can make the difference.

Alissa Bonney learned that the hard way. She took some classes and ran into some barriers. Then she learned about SC4’s TRIO Student Support Services program.

“I tried taking classes without accommodations at first,” Bonney explained, “and the hardest challenge was communicating with my professors and getting help when I needed it the most. I applied to the TRIO program because I found out about the great benefits, including tutors to help you in any subject and college trips to help you plan the rest of your degree.”

She worked closely with her TRIO advisors to select the classes that would help her achieve her goals in the pharmacy field. TRIO has also helped her improve her study habits and plan out major projects and papers. Her monthly visits with the TRIO team have made her feel more comfortable talking with other people.

“I’d recommend TRIO to anyone because of how close everyone gets while in the program,” Bonney said. “Sometimes classes can be all business, and TRIO can be a relaxing place to study and most importantly get help when you need it.”

Bonney originally chose SC4 because she wanted to start off on the right foot by getting her general education classes out of the way at a community college. She plans to continue to a four-year university after completing her associate degree, studying pharmacy so she can move up from her current job as a pharmacy technician to becoming a pharmacist.

“I’m particularly grateful for the TRIO and SC4 advisors and tutors who have not only helped me in my classes but also listen to my family stories,” she said. “They always ask me how I’m doing.”

While Bonney is thankful to many SC4 faculty and staff members for their support, she singles out Amy Hengehold, TRIO support staff member.

“She’s always so happy and joyful,” she said, smiling. “Amy is always willing to listen to my stories.”

Because of her inspiring success at SC4, Alissa Bonney is the December TRIO Student of the Month. Congratulations!

Jenna Linton likes being independent, but also appreciates having extra support when she needs it. A competitive runner, Linton chose SC4 both because she had the opportunity to continue her cross-country career at the college level and because Port Huron wasn’t close to her hometown.

“I wanted to live and see another part of Michigan,” she explained. “I knew I could live by myself. Moving away from home and into the dorm was a challenge. I’m pretty good at managing schoolwork with my running and my friends, but I had to learn other life skills. I have to make sure I prepare enough food for the next week or two, and I had to learn how to manage my spending and saving better.”

Linton wears hearing aids in both ears, which helps with the challenge of hearing and understanding people. It can be hard to catch everything in a conversation, and she’s had to stick up for herself and ask for help when she needed it. She’s found success in working with her SC4 professors to ensure she gets the best education possible. She also applied for the TRIO Student Support Services program at SC4, because she’s always been a student who needs a little extra help along the way.

“TRIO has been helpful by checking with me to see how I’m doing, both educationally and personally,” Linton said. “They’ve also helped me set realistic school and personal goals. We talk about my classes and my plan to get my work done on time. We set goals for writing papers and how I can get a better grade by including other writing skills. Having a tutor available for my harder subjects gives me less stress to worry about.”

Linton enthusiastically recommends the TRIO program to other students. “They are an amazing support program with a lot of resources to help students succeed. The TRIO classroom in the Achievement Center is also a major resource, with computers to work on, a quiet place to study, and staff available to help you with anything you need.”

She’s thankful for all the help she’s received in her time at SC4, especially from her professors who have had to adapt to the challenges of the pandemic while still teaching effectively.

“This semester has been difficult with school being online,” Linton said. “The professors have been working non-stop to provide us with resources we need to succeed. I’m extremely thankful that my professors are working through this learning curve with me and even laughing through the hard times that have made SC4 a little bit better.”

Linton is planning to transfer to Northern Michigan University in Marquette to major in Elementary Special Education. She plans to keep running at NMU, either on their club team or just on her own to stay healthy and in shape. She wants to hike and explore, too, because there are plenty of trails and other outdoor activities to participate in. Eventually, she’d like to move to Montana to teach and start her family.

For her perseverance and dedication to improving herself through education, Jenna Linton is the November TRIO Student of the month.

Giovonni Carden always wanted to be a nurse. She knew SC4 had a great program and it was also close by, so her choice was simple. But the decision to go to college often involves additional challenges that aren’t quite as simple. So Carden also got involved with the college’s TRIO Student Support Services program at the suggestion of some of her friends.

“I heard great things from others about the [TRIO] program,” Carden said, “and I thought that I could use some help along my journey in college.”

Her intuition about joining TRIO turned out to be a great choice.

“TRIO has helped me obtain my goals by mentoring me, addressing questions and concerns I had, and walking me through the steps to prepare for and apply to the nursing program,” she explained. “Shawne Jowett [Interim Director of TRIO at SC4] has been there for me every single time I needed her help. I’m extremely grateful for her. I really can’t thank her enough for all the help she has given me.”

For her achievements at SC4 and in the TRIO program, Carden is the October TRIO Student of the Month.

Balancing college and everyday life aren’t easy. Carden notes that she needed to work, pay her bills (including tuition), while also finding time to do well in her classes. “It wasn’t easy at the time, but I took everything one step at a time and didn’t worry about events I couldn’t control,” she said.

Carden would recommend the TRIO program to current SC4 students as well as incoming freshmen. “TRIO has such a broad spectrum of resources anyone could benefit from it,” she said. “Also, it’s full of sweet, caring people who are always there to help when you need them.”

She’s planning to complete her nursing degree at SC4 and then move on to complete a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree. She’d like to be an operating room nurse or maybe a labor and delivery nurse. Later, she may investigate becoming a doula (someone who provides emotional and physical support during pregnancy and childbirth).

“I want to be there to help and make sure they’re comfortable,” she said.