CHESTER and MIDLOTHIAN, Va. – After overcoming several life-altering challenges, Amber Staton decided she wanted more for herself and her children. So, she turned to John Tyler Community College for an education that will give her the skills needed to become a social worker and to help others. Gloria Horne wanted a new career, one that would allow her to offer support to patients and families facing serious illness or trauma. To do that, she enrolled at Tyler, and thanks to the College’s many resources and services, she is able to pursue her dream of becoming a nurse. Asein Ta realized at a young age that education provides opportunity. That’s why he’s determined to become a teacher. Ta says he wants to inspire others the way Tyler’s faculty and staff have inspired him.
These are just some of the stories John Tyler Community College students shared with state legislators during meetings on January 28, 2015 and February 5, 2015. During the trips, the students, accompanied by John Tyler Community College President Edward “Ted” Raspiller and College staff, met with several senators and delegates. They included Sen. Rosalyn Dance, Sen. Stephen Martin, Sen. Frank Ruff, Sen. John Watkins, Del. Kirk Cox, Del. Riley Ingram, Del. Joseph Preston, Del. Roxann Robinson, and Del. Lee Ware. The students also had the opportunity to speak with the legislative assistant to Del. Betsy Carr.
In addition to sharing their personal stories and talking about their experiences at John Tyler Community College, the student delegation talked to legislators about the importance of affordable tuition, program variety, and financial aid. To hear what students have to say about the way John Tyler impacts their lives, watch our video on YouTube at http://youtu.be/Z7xY-dNi0oc. Photographs taken during the two trips may be found on the College’s Flickr page at https://www.flickr.com/photos/johntylercc/sets/72157650121348888/.
The student participants included (zip codes appear in parenthesis):
Jason Brown (23860)
Jason Brown is grateful for second chances, and he’s determined to open doors for people who may feel they have no options. That’s what he says John Tyler Community College did for him. Jason describes himself as a recovering substance abuse user. His life experiences taught him valuable lessons, and he believes he has much to share with those dealing with similar challenges. That’s why he decided to pursue a Human Services degree at John Tyler. He says, before Tyler, doors kept getting shut, and now, his opportunities are many. Jason says the College’s faculty and staff offer support to those who’ve been out of school for a while, and they encourage students to get involved. Jason did just that. He is a member of the Human Services Club, a club in which he’s served as both president and vice president; is active on Student Council; was part of the Tyler delegation at the Student Leadership Conference; and took on an internship. After he graduates in May, he would like to transfer to either Virginia Commonwealth University or Liberty University for his bachelor’s degree, to get his state licensure, and to work in substance abuse counseling.
Samantha Daniel (23842)
Samantha Daniel takes a global view of life. She wants to meet and work with people from different cultures so that she can better understand their perspectives and their needs. She understands the need to remain open-minded, especially when unexpected situations arise. After high school, Samantha had planned to attend a four-year institution. When her first choice wait-listed her, she decided to approach her education from another angle. After researching her options, she chose John Tyler Community College. She admits to being skeptical at first but says the College, its people and its offerings quickly won her over. Samantha likes the fact that she’s saving money while taking challenging classes, and she’s able to balance work and college thanks to Tyler’s flexible class schedule and online course offerings. She also is grateful for the College’s involvement in the community. Samantha is particularly excited to be the secretary of Tyler’s History Club, which is involved in an effort to save Virginia’s Rosenwald schools. After graduating from Tyler in the summer of 2015, Samantha plans to transfer to the University of Virginia or to William and Mary to major in international relations and minor in Middle Eastern studies.
Gloria Horne (23111)
Gloria Horne says John Tyler Community College is helping her live her dream. After working for years in the retail industry, she is back in college, studying to become a nurse. Gloria, a wife, mother and grandmother, says she always wanted a career in which she could help and nurture people. She decided to pursue a nursing career after observing the care and compassion offered by the hospice nurses who cared for her mother. Gloria says she wants to provide that kind of support and help to patients and families who are facing serious illnesses or traumas. She decided to attend John Tyler after the retailer she was working for held a training session at the Chester Campus. She said she liked the campus and the people she met, so she enrolled and immersed herself in her studies and in student life. She is a scholarship recipient, member of the Chemistry Club and attended the Student Leadership Conference. And, although she loves the way younger and older students interact and learn from each other in class, she hopes to start an organization specifically for older students, to help them transition into college life. Gloria says Tyler offers an abundance of resources, and she wants to make sure students understand what’s available to them – especially if it’s been several years since they’ve been in class. Once she graduates from Tyler, she wants to begin working as a nurse, and she hopes to transfer to Old Dominion University to complete a bachelor’s degree through the university’s distance education program.
Grace Jackson (23831)
Grace Jackson loves science. She wants to understand cause and effect – especially as it pertains to the world’s oceans. That’s why she’s studying to become a marine biologist. She says her education at Tyler is helping her build a foundation that she hopes will lead to Old Dominion University, a master’s degree and her dream career. Grace didn’t come to college right out of high school. Due a variety of circumstances, she found herself in the workforce after graduation, but she soon longed for more. So, she researched her options and chose Tyler because it was close to home, it was affordable, and she thought it would prepare her to transition to a four-year college or university. She said when she started taking classes, she found out the College was so much more. Last year, Grace was among the first students to be selected for the Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) Bridges to the Baccalaureate Dream-to-Goal program, which is run in partnership between VCU, John Tyler and Thomas Nelson Community College. During the summer months, Grace spent eight weeks living in VCU dorms, learning about research techniques and working in a research lab. She says the program, which spans two summers, is giving her new insight into how research really works and is providing her with practical experience both in a laboratory setting and on a larger college campus. She thanks faculty at John Tyler for letting her know about the program and encouraging her to apply. Grace says she appreciates the support Tyler’s faculty and staff offer students and that she appreciates the programs, student clubs and other opportunities Tyler makes available.
Hanna Lamphere (23153)
Hanna Lamphere wants to help children realize their potential the way others have helped her discover hers. She wants to do that by becoming a teacher, then a school counselor, and eventually a school principal. Hanna’s path to realizing her dream took an unexpected turn when she decided to leave the four-year college that she had enrolled in right out of high school. She said she felt in over her head and was left frustrated by the experience. After taking a few years off from school, Hannah realized it was time to refocus her efforts. She wanted a college education, and she wanted to succeed so she could help others. So, she decided to sign up for classes at John Tyler. At first, she took a part-time course load, but soon, with the encouragement of one of her professors, she boosted her class number and became full-time. At the same time, she continued to work as a swim instructor for special needs children. Hanna says Tyler’s faculty and staff inspire her to push herself. And thanks to that encouragement, Hanna says she’s become more confident in her abilities, and she’s gained the courage to dream big. Her goal is to graduate with her associate degree in May 2015 and then transfer to the University of Virginia to major in history or English. After earning her bachelor’s degree, she wants to begin teaching. Eventually, she wants to earn a master’s degree and then a doctorate degree so that she can work in counseling and administration.
Amber Staton (23803)
Amber Staton wants to make a difference in the lives of people who are facing life-altering challenges. Her passion for the field of human services stems from her own experiences. She has survived the suicide of a close family member; has been homeless; and is a mother who is juggling family needs with work and school. It’s not easy, but Amber is determined. She says she’s thankful for what she’s discovered at John Tyler. She’s found strong mentors in the teaching faculty, financial support through scholarships and work-study opportunities, and flexible class schedules that help her balance her many responsibilities. She also likes the many resources offered by the College through its library, tutoring centers and math labs. Involvement in student life at Tyler also is important to Amber. She is the president of the Human Services Club, is in Rotaract, and is taking part in an internship. She also helped represent Tyler at the Student Leadership Conference. Amber says she appreciates the friendly, helpful and giving atmosphere of the College, and she is grateful to the College’s faculty and staff for giving her the opportunity to do things she never thought possible. Amber plans to graduate in May 2015. She’d like to pursue a bachelor’s degree and maybe her master’s. She hopes to one day own a clinic that provides counseling services.
Asein Ta (23235)
Asein Ta believes education is vital. He also believes in the importance of giving back. Because of that, he not only wants to become an elementary school teacher, he wants to teach English as a Second Language (ESL) and travel as a part of the United Nations to help those who need assistance. Asein was born in a rural area of Myanmar (Burma), and after losing his parents, he moved to Thailand, where he lived in refugee camps for more than four years. When the opportunity arose to move to another country, Asein asked to be taken to the United States. In 2008, he came to Virginia and was placed in the foster care system. Asein was enrolled in James River High School’s ESL program, and at his request, he was placed with a family that only spoke English. Asein says he knew being immersed in the language would help him learn it. He first learned about John Tyler Community College while taking dual enrollment courses at James River. Then, when he graduated high school in 2012, his social worker told him about JTCC’s Great Expectations program, which offers support and guidance to foster youth who want to get a college education. Asein says he knew John Tyler would be a good fit for him. Not only did it have a program that could offer him additional assistance, it was close to home, had smaller classes, and it offered a class schedule that would allow him to still work. Asein says he feels like he’s part of a family at John Tyler, and he loves the College’s diversity. He believes Tyler is helping students make better lives for themselves. After finishing his General Studies degree with a specialization in elementary teacher education, Asein plans to transfer to Virginia Commonwealth University to work on a bachelor’s and then master’s degree.
John Tyler Community College is the fifth largest of the 23 community colleges in Virginia. With campuses in Chester and Midlothian and off-campus classrooms throughout the area, John Tyler offers quality and economical opportunities for students who want to earn a degree or certificate, transfer to a four-year college or university, train for the workforce, or switch careers. The College, which served nearly 14,000 students during the 2013-14 academic year, offers 18 associate degrees, seven certificates, and 36 career studies certificates. The institution also serves more than 13,000 non-credit trainees and over 1,000 companies and government agencies annually through the Community College Workforce Alliance.