I grew up in Corning working on an olive orchard. The jobs went away and I ended up working at a grocery store at night.
There were other jobs I could do, but I didn’t have the education they wanted. I looked around for answers and found Shasta College.
My time at the college was amazing! I came in wanting to do the HELO program and work in the woods. I didn’t feel ready for college, or, honestly, that I had what it took to come back to college. But, after working all night, getting off at 4:30 in the morning and driving to Redding for class at 6:00, I started to realize, “Hey, you know what? Maybe I have a little bit more potential than I gave myself credit for!”
So, I started looking into going to school longer. I found out I could take the industrial technologies pathway and earn my associate degree. I talked to my counselor, and she said, “You’re already on the pathway, and if you feel up to it, then we’ll sign you up.” Throughout that process, I gained confidence and just started believing in myself.
All of my teachers in the HELO program had a big impact on me. That semester was rough with working nights, and I was also taking care of my parents at the time as they were going through some medical problems, but the instructors would always check in and give me positive reinforcement.
Besides the teachers, I couldn’t have done it without the staff members in the Forest Health office, and in the PACE office. I worked with Danielle in PACE, and she helped me see that my needs didn’t set me aside; they set me apart. She showed me that my qualities were something to build on.
I’m starting a position with AgSTEP at the farm in Corning, where we’ll help other farm workers like me get an education.
Shasta College gave me a huge confidence boost to where now I don’t just want to finish my associate degree—I’ve set myself up to transfer to Chico State to earn my bachelor’s in business management, with plans to pursue an MBA after that. My time here showed me how much I want to help others achieve their own goals and connect them with the resources available.
Coming to Shasta College gave life to my dreams!