Grant Funding Support with Keya

Transcript

Allow me to introduce Keya, a recent graduate who came to OC byway of her hometown in Sitka, Alaska. Thanks to Olympic College, Keya is achieving her career goals and in doing so, making a better life for her growing family. Along the way she learned skills and made connections that will last a lifetime. Take it away, Keya.

– Thanks, Alex. Hey, everyone. Growing up, I knew I always wanted to help people. I come from a background of caring adults and teachers, so I know that was the route I wanted to take. I’m from a small island in Alaska and I didn’t wanna be too far from home, so while looking for colleges I came across OC and saw that it’d be the perfect match to get my associate’s degree. I graduated with my associate’s degree in 2014 with my three-month old daughter right by my side. I had plans to get my bachelor’s degree, but life happened. As a single mom, I knew I wanted to go back to school to better things for myself and my now three kids. That’s when I went back to OC and found out about the Basic Food Employment & Training Program, or BFET. BFET makes it possible for low-income families to complete their dreams of finishing college. Going back to school as a single mom and working full-time was so hard but so worth it, and I had OC with me every step of the way to help me pursue my goal of becoming a licensed substance and alcohol abuse counselor. Olympic College has amazing grant-funded programs like BFET, WorkFirst and Worker Retraining that has helped me reach my goals of becoming a licensed counselor. They also have amazing dining and espresso options. There’s also a great fitness center that’s free to students and amazing athletic programs like track and field. When I first started at OC in 2014, I was part of the cross country and track teams where I made the lifelong friendships that I cherish to this day. I never thought I’d be back pursuing my dream career as a counselor, but with the help of OC, I was able to not only get licensed, but also make lifelong friendships and connections that I’ll forever cherish. Throwing it back to you, Alex. Go Rangers!

– Keya, your story reinforces the reality that anyone can overcome life’s challenges, and it doesn’t hurt to have a college like Olympic in your corner. Olympic College has several grant programs like the Basic Food Employment & Training Program that are awarded to students to help cover the cost of tuition. Thanks again, Keya.