Non-Traditional Parenting Student

Transcript

Say hello to Dima. Dima was born in Syria and is now living in Los Angeles. Dima is a nursing major student, a mother of three and a wife. And she’s also a student employee in the Dual Enrollment and Outreach Office. Dima, please tell us more about your journey.

– Thanks, Alex. Hey, everyone watching from home. I was born and grew up in Syria. I came to the USA with my husband and three little kids running away after the war in Syria. When my husband and I first arrived to the USA, we had to adopt to a new environment, take care of our three kids, get jobs, and get a new education all at once. Unfortunately, I was not able to transfer my biology bachelor’s that I got from Syria, so I had to start from the scratch. After a long research, I found many intersections between nursing program here and the biology bachelor’s that I got from Syria. However, I learned that it’s very challenging to go in nursing programs, especially with three little kids. I was very hesitant to start my academic journey. I thought it might be better to start after my little one gets older, but my husband, who was also a student at Los Angeles City College, encouraged me to start with some online classes, so I took some online classes that were very helpful for me and gave me the chance to start my academic journey. After that, I learned about work study, which is great, because my boss provided me with a flexible schedule that fits my classes schedule. I work with Dual Enrollment Office and my boss is very understanding and always there to support me with my studies. Everything went smoothly, especially with the help from the Welcome Center and the Financial Aid Office. I’m so grateful to LACC, especially to the CalWORKs office who is always there for students who have kids by providing workforce training and many other resources. And also I’m very excited because I’m taking my last prerequisites before transferring to the nursing program at CSU. And this is my story. Back to you, Alex.

– Dima, your journey has not been an easy one. Thank you for sharing your perseverance and the hardships you faced along the way. We know that your experiences will lead you to become a fantastic nurse with compassion and patience. Once again, thank you for sharing your journey and your story with us.