HEATHER CHILDERS Learning & Leading
make sure that other students around her felt the same way. So, using her experience as President of the Roteract Club, Heather also spent the next two years serving on CVCC’s Student Government Association as SGA Treasurer and Parliamentarian. She also took
As young adults, don’t we all have plans?
As a smaller college campus, CVCC was
part in the Civics Engagement Committee,
And even though it might be difficult at first,
the right place for Heather to build a
a club which focused on multicultural
aren’t we happy when our plans change for
foundation and get involved with a close-
events and additional resources that would
the better?
knit community of students and mentors.
be of great benefit to students. Her active
The Foundation scholarship was an added
participation led to discussions with CVCC
Growing up and graduating from high
catalyst that set her off on the right course.
President, Dr. Garrett Hinshaw, about the
school in Hickory, Heather Childers felt quite
Because the scholarship donor held ties to a
best ways to approach student involvement,
excited about the prospect of college. She
Rotary Chapter, Heather got connected with
student activities, and college budgets.
dreamed of what life would be like once
junior Rotary and dove right into leadership,
she moved away from home and went to
taking on the role of President for the local
“Who else has the opportunity to sit down
a 4-year university. She planned to work
Roteract Club (Rotary Youth Program). As she
and have a discussion with Dr. Hinshaw
hard to finance her education. During her
took CVCC classes and attended Roteract
multiple
year of preparing for college and submitting
meetings in town, she not only created a
Heather shares. “Who has that? I did...and
university applications, however, Heather
strong network of ambitious leaders; she also
got a glimpse into seeing how hard that
received the unexpected opportunity to go
developed new levels of self-confidence.
school [CVCC] works to make their students
The high school principal approached her
throughout
the
year?”
happy.“
to college without worrying about gathering debt.
times
Whether on or off campus, she felt empowered at CVCC. She knew she was
“People try to frown upon you going
not just another number, and she wanted to
to a community college versus a 4-year
with the news that she had been nominated for and had the chance to receive a scholarship from the CVCC Foundation. She had the option to accept the scholarship and start college Catawba Valley immediately after high school graduation. This option was a no-brainer for young Heather, who remembers thinking she landed the perfect scenario—living at home, earning her college degree, and finding support through the Foundation scholarship. But as she entered Red Hawk Nation and started the first weeks of class, she had no idea that her scholarship would soon transform her leadership potential. She came to CVCC with plans of becoming a Dental Hygienist, but after discovering the competitive aspects of the Dental Hygiene program, she decided to focus on another passion, Law and Criminal Justice. The bulk of her courses at CVCC led to an associate’s degree within the Criminal Justice program. C V C C S O A R MA G A ZI NE
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