Opportunity Issue 8

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LCCC honors class of 2021 with Doors of Opportunity Tribute Thrill Seeking Success Zachary Horvath transfers to BGSU with his dream career already launched The Power of Apprenticeships UAW/Ford partnership with LCCC helps nearly 1,000 local workers advance their careers

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About the Cover In honor of Lorain County Community College’s graduating class of 2021, LCCC installed an innovative tribute that celebrated each student’s resilient journey to become a college graduate.

Twenty-one full sized doors lined a grassy median stretching nearly 450 feet – longer than a football field.

Every propped-open door featured a different word, symbolizing the unique journey each student took to reach graduation day. By walking through the door, students not only found the right opportunity on LCCC’s campus, but the support and confidence to lead them into the next chapter of their lives.

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In this Issue:

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Sienna Wright found career and academic purpose in the University Partnership 6 An LCCC start led transfer student Zachary Horvath to BGSU and his dream career

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College Credit Plus provided Maria Shenouda a head start toward being a physician

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Veteran Edward Catanese enrolled in the University Partnership when life threw unexpected turns

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LCCC honors class of 2021 with Doors of Opportunity tribute

14 Three students make history as first graduates of bachelor’s of applied science degree in MEMS LCCC honors class of 2021 with Doors of Opportunity Tribute Thrill Seeking Success Zachary Horvath transfers to BGSU with his dream career already launched The Power of Apprenticeships UAW/Ford partnership with LCCC helps nearly 1,000 local workers advance their careers

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Heather Horn turned to LCCC when she was ready to purse a lifelong goal to be a nurse

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UAW/Ford partnership with LCCC helps nearly 1,000 local workers advance their careers

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Will Torres doubted his chances at an Ivy League school, but finds himself there today

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How the Advocacy and Resource Center helped Jamie Morrow break through academic barriers

1005 North Abbe Road Elyria, Ohio 44035 Phone: 800-995-5222 lorainccc.edu

Share these and other stories online by visiting: lorainccc.edu/stories

Faith in our future This year, as Lorain County Community College celebrated the class of 2021 with unforgettable tributes to our graduates, we all shared in a renewed sense of hope. As our community reshapes its future in a forever-altered world, I give praise and adulation to those – like our graduates – who reached their goals during the most trying of times, and I look forward to a bright future ahead.

I have faith in our future because I know the hands in which our future lies – Lorain County Community College students, graduates and alumni. I have confidence in graduates like DeAndre Lurry, Brandon Filker, and Jared Dumont, who were the first class to graduate from our Applied Bachelor’s degree program in MEMS. These three have blazed a trail for future manufacturing students who will shape the future of this industry in our community and the entire country.

As I think about the positive impact our students and graduates have had and will continue to have, I am reminded that every step they took toward their education was intentional and in many cases harder than they imagined – especially the class of 2021.

Our students’ resiliency is inspiring, but it’s not surprising. LCCC students have big goals and grit to match. Their strength of character allows them to dig deep during the most trying times and persevere. They do so for themselves, their families, their futures, and their community.

Marcia J. Ballinger, Ph.D. President, LCCC

So in my mind, as I look back on the past year, I understand fully that every test taken, credit earned, every semester completed, and every degree conferred represents so much more. Those achievements are another thread sewn into the fabric of our entire community, making it tighter, stronger, greater and more prepared for the future.

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EARLY COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOL & UNIVERSITY PARTNERSHIP GRADUATE

Finding Purpose University Partnership grad Sienna Wright finds a career path that gives her academic and work lives purpose When Sienna Wright read about her fellow Cleveland State University students also awarded the Outstanding Senior Award, she felt humbled.

SIENNA WRIGHT

“I didn’t even know I was qualified,” Wright says. “I was very surprised after listening to all the other students and their accolades.”

But Wright was more than eligible. The 25 year old, who graduated from CSU through the Lorain County Community College University Partnership program in December 2020, maintained a 4.0 GPA while working full time and raising her daughter, Lola.

Her professors – both at CSU and LCCC – saw excellence in her.

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The University Partnership is tailored toward the working individual.”

“Sienna distinguished herself in courses that pushed students to think deeply and critically about the material,” says Michael Horvath, Ph.D. associate professor in the psychology department at CSU and Wright’s nominator.

Eulalio Gonzalez, Ph.D., professor of psychology at LCCC saw the same in Wright.

“Sienna is a highly motivated and dedicated student who is passionate about learning as much as she can about the field of psychology,” Gonzalez says.

But Wright wasn’t always confident in her career choice. It wasn’t until the summer of 2019 that she found a pathway that gave her academic and work lives purpose.

The word of the summer

Wright graduated from Lorain County Early College High School in 2013 with her high school diploma from Elyria High School and an associate of arts degree from LCCC. She quickly followed up with a second degree, this time in applied business, in 2014.

After several years working in network marketing Wright felt like business was a natural fit. She enrolled at The University of Toledo through the LCCC University Partnership to earn a bachelor’s degree in business.

But Wright soon learned she wasn’t as passionate about business as she thought, so she withdrew, taking time off school to focus on work and Lola.

But something was missing.

LCCC’s University Partnership includes 14 colleges and universities delivering 100+ bachelor’s and master’s degrees www.lorainccc.edu/up

“Outside of being a mother and working, I felt like I didn’t have a purpose,” Wright says.

It wasn’t until summer 2019 that Wright was ready to find that purpose.

“That was the word of the summer – purpose,” Wright says. “Children look to their parents as role models and it made me reflect. I knew I had to model for Lola what it’s like to be committed to something, and to give your all.”

Wright went to church, prayed, and talked to her mentors. They suggested taking assessments to find her strengths and passion. Time after time, the assessments led her to mentoring and counseling.

Making it possible

Wright went back to LCCC that same summer, and a year later transferred to Cleveland State University through the University Partnership program.

Driven and ready to excel, Wright took on a full-time course load while still working full time. Dr. Gonzalez’s initial reservations about her taking on too much quickly subsided.

“I believe she has been very successful because she is well grounded in her faith, has a strong moral compass, she knows what she wants in life, and she has such a positive attitude that radiates hope and optimism,” Gonzalez says.

Wright’s success in the classroom carried over into the psychology-related work experience Dr. Gonzalez encouraged her to take on. Wright began working at the Nord Center as a crisis aid and was also hired at a behavioral practice in Beachwood.

“The hardest part has been balance,” she says. “But I try to be really present for all the areas of my life.”

And Wright says the University Partnership has made it possible for her to continue her education without neglecting the other parts of her life.

“The University Partnership is tailored toward the working individual,” she says.

“LCCC knows you have a life, children and jobs, and that you need to be able to continue living your life while you’re pursing your education.”

Playing the field

One month before graduation, Wright landed yet another job. She’s a part-time strategy consultant at a law firm that specializes in internal investigations related to diversity, equity and inclusion.

“It’s really interesting to me,” Wright says. “I’m able to use everything I’ve learned during my undergraduate studies in a way that’s so different than I and those at the firm are used to.”

And Wright hopes the work experience will help her as she considers graduate school.

“I’m playing in both fields, clinical and industrial psychology, trying to figure out which one hits home the most,” she says.

As for the path she’s already taken – the one that led her to LCCC’s University Partnership – she can’t imagine choosing any other.

“I wouldn’t have done it any other way.

Actually, I wouldn’t have been able to do it any other way.”

op p ort u n it y I Fi ndi ng Purpo se

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LCCC COLLEGE CREDIT PLUS TRANSFER STUDENT

How an LCCC start led transfer student Zachary Horvath to BGSU and his dream career The revving of the Top Thrill Dragster engine getting ready to launch.

The noise of the FunTVs entertaining park goers while they wait in line.

These sounds fill the air at Cedar Point and they make Zachary Horvath smile.

He’s a technical services technician at the Sandusky park, keeping the audio and video equipment throughout Cedar Point and its resorts running at the highest quality. For Horvath, 20, it’s the perfect combination of career and interest.

“I love theme parks, and I love technology, so I’ve really found what I love doing by working in theme park technology,” he says.

But Horvath isn’t sure he’d be where he is today – certainly not debt free – if it wasn’t for Lorain County Community College.

‘There’s no better way to get a head start’

Horvath, who grew up in Elyria Township, started taking College Credit Plus courses at LCCC while attending Open Door Christian School. It was his first introduction to college-level classes and taking them helped ease the transition to college and accelerate his time to graduation.

“This program introduced me to the rigorous demands of college courses while I was taking only one class and not a full course load,” Horvath says. “And it opened up the opportunity to take more

ZACHARY HORVATH

Eventually Horvath would like to work his way up in the industry and be a part of the visionary team that creates new attractions. To help him get there,

he enrolled in the new Resort and Attraction Management program at Bowling Green State University in downtown Sandusky. Horvath expects to graduate with his bachelor’s degree in 2022. And the entire cost of his degree is already paid for thanks, in part, to the Thompson Scholarship he earned from BGSU.

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higher level classes my first full year of college. There’s no better way to get a head start in college and in my career.”

Horvath believes that head start, coupled with his good grades, helped him earn the many scholarships he has, including the Trustee Scholarship from LCCC that covers the entire cost of two years’ tuition.

“Having your tuition completely paid for was just an offer that was too hard to pass up,” Horvath says. “I knew that this would be the right decision for me.”

What Horvath wasn’t sure of though, was the career path he wanted to take. Luckily LCCC gave him flexibility to find the right career path for him.

“I was able to pick up a couple night classes as well as a couple online classes, and work part-time while I was in school,” Horvath says.

‘This scholarship is geared toward working students’

Horvath began working at Cedar Fair, the parent company of Cedar Point, in May 2019 as a live entertainment technician at Cedar Point. He ran sound and resolved technical issues for some of the park’s small shows.

Since then, Horvath has held the same position at Cedar Point’s sister park, Kings Island, running sound for the park’s most popular show, Tinker’s Toy Factory, which had up to 1,200 guests per performance. In March 2020, he began his current role at Cedar Point.

And just two months after landing the position, Horvath graduated from LCCC with his associate of science degree.

This fall Horvath transferred to BGSU and began working toward his next degree.

“I was able to settle on this program at BGSU and it’s been a completely smooth transition,” he says.

BGSU’s Resort and Attraction Management program was created in partnership with his employer and is a perfect fit for Horvath and the career path he’s on. Better yet, Horvath’s academic excellence and work experience made him a prime choice for BGSU’s Thompson Scholarship.

The scholarship, funded by Robert and Ellen Thompson, awards $5,000 per year and, in conjunction with a scholarship Horvath received from Cedar Fair, will cover the entire cost of Horvath’s bachelor’s degree.

“I worked really hard to maintain my GPA and I think that was the biggest thing that made me stand out,” Horvath says.

“And this scholarship is geared toward working students, so I felt like the work experience I was able to gain thanks to LCCC’s flexible scheduling really helped me out a lot too.”

Horvath is thankful to have found a career he loves and to have received scholarships that have helped him align his education and career goals. And he’s thankful for LCCC – the launching point for where he is now.

“I really can’t say enough about how great of a decision going to LCCC was,” he says.

There’s no better way to get a head start in college and in my career.”

Complete your first years at our lower tuition rate and then transfer your credits

lorainccc.edu/transfer

op p ort u n it y I Th ri l l Seeki ng Success

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LCCC COLLEGE CREDIT PLUS & TRANSFER STUDENT

FROM

CCP TO MD College Credit Plus provided Maria Shenouda a head start toward becoming a physician

It was a decade ago and Maria Shenouda was a small child at the time, but the memories are seared into her mind. While walking the streets of her neighborhood in Egypt, she saw families in need.

“A lot of people didn’t have the opportunity to get their children good healthcare,” Maria says. “Every day I would see families struggling to help their kids when they were sick.”

That was when she decided to become a doctor. When she was eight, Maria’s family immigrated to the United States.

She knew the move would give her the opportunities she needed to reach her career goal, but the transition was difficult.

“I didn’t know the language, so I had to stay in school with an English teacher and a translator to learn,” she says.

MARIA SHENOUDA

Once Maria mastered the English language – and four others since – her grades skyrocketed. Now the North Ridgeville High School senior is graduating one year early with a 3.9 GPA and is making her dream of becoming a physician a reality. She attributes Lorain County Community College for the head start.

“When I found out about LCCC’s College Credit Plus program, I went to my guidance counselor and told her I wanted to do this,” Maria says. “I want to be a doctor, so I am taking every opportunity I can to be a young doctor.”

Maria earned 40 college credits while in high school and is enrolled for summer classes too. By the time she transfers to either Baldwin Wallace or Harvard University to earn a Bachelor of Science in Health Science Pre-Med degree this fall, she’ll have earned more than 50 college credits.

“LCCC has helped me get a head start on my education by saving me about two years from my bachelor’s degree while in high school,” Maria says. “And it’s opening up many opportunities.”

While Maria is years away from being a practicing physician, she’s already using her education, skill and compassion to make an impact. Through one of her courses, Maria learned more about different socioeconomic classes and the impact of living in poverty. When the pandemic hit, she wanted to help.

“LCCC organized a group to make masks for people who might not have any,” she says. “I saw it as an opportunity to give back to my community.”

Helping those in need reminded Maria of her home in Egypt where neighbors help neighbors. She hopes to travel back there one day to care for – as doctor – those families she saw as a child.

“I want go back and to travel the world, bringing healthcare to those who can’t afford it,” Maria says.

Get a head start on college credits for free with our College Credit Plus program www.lorainccc.edu/ccp

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Jobs of the Future– Computer and Information Technology Careers IT jobs are on the rise and in demand in Northeast Ohio.

Start your training today to be a top choice candidate once you graduate.

Earn $88,240+

(Median Annual Wage for Computer and Information Technology occupations)

LCCC offers short-term certificates, associate degrees and pathways to bachelor’s degrees through the University Partnership.

PROGRAMS • Computer Science, Engineering and Technology • Cyber Security • Data Analytics • Hardware Maintenance and Information Systems Support • Interactive Digital Media • Network Systems • Software and Mobile Application Development Programs • Web Development

UNIVERSITY PARTNERSHIP STUDENT

A NEW RECR Edward Catanese thought his lifetime career was in the Army but unexpected turns led him to LCCC’s University Partnership

Edward Catanese’s life has taken a lot of unexpected turns.

After graduating from Brookside High School in Sheffield Village in 2007, Catanese thought he’d be off to a fouryear university to play football. He was a champion powerlifter and captain of the football team, and graduated in the top 10 percent of his class.

But Catanese didn’t get into any of the colleges he hoped to attend.

“I wasn’t sure what to do with my life,” he says.

That uncertainty led Catanese to somewhere he never expected and didn’t want to be – surrounded by so-called friends making poor choices.

EDWARD CATANESE

So Catanese made a change. He left his hometown and joined the Army in May 2008 as a 19K – an armor crewman on a battle tank. He served for nearly 10 years, was deployed to eight countries, took leadership courses, graduated from Ranger School, and earned the rank of Staff Sergeant.

“I can earn my bachelor’s degree on the LCCC campus, close to my home and my three children.”

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Catanese says military life was challenging and rewarding. He planned to make training new recruits in the Army his lifetime career.

Then life threw another unexpected twist his way.

His doctor had bleak news.

“This injury was the straw that broke the camel’s back,” Catanese says. “The pain and suffering of my back injury limited me physically and I was no longer able to lead soldiers and do the job that I loved.”

Retiring from the military was a blow to Catanese’s career goals, but he already had a new plan in the works. Before leaving the military Catanese got in touch with Lorain County Community College’s Veterans and Military Service Members Center. He had earned an associate degree while in the Army, and he was ready to continue his education.

“The Veterans Services Center and my college counselors have been an intricate part of my transition to civilian life,” he says. “They consistently answer my general questions, help with schedule conflicts, and solve student aid issues quickly.”

He wanted a civilian career similar to what he enjoyed doing in the Army – training recruits. So Catanese took yet another leap of faith and changed his path. He enrolled in LCCC’s University Partnership program with Ashland University and began working toward his bachelor’s degree in middle childhood education.

“I absolutely love coaching and seeing how my and the other coach’s dedication to teaching and mentoring has paid off this session. It’s an incredibly heartwarming feeling.”

“I can earn my bachelor’s degree through Ashland University, all on the LCCC campus, close to my home and my three children,” he says.

Striving for excellence

Just as he did in the Army, Catanese entered the education program with high expectations of himself - and he is excelling.

“My goal has been not only to earn my bachelor’s degree but to maintain grades that keep me on the Dean’s List,” he says.

Catanese has earned a spot on the Dean’s List every semester and expects to graduate in spring 2022.

With his daughter, he’s taken up an unexpected hobby to fill time during the COVID-19 quarantine – tie dying. It took a few YouTube lessons, but Catanese says he and his daughter have got it down.

He’s also found time for himself, continuing treatments for the injuries that threw such an unexpected turn into his life.

“One thing I’ve learned over the years is that if I want to help others then I have to make time to take care of myself.”

When he does begin the journey as an educator, Catanese hopes to share with his students the words he’s lived by. “‘Strive for excellence in all you do’ and ‘Everything you’ve ever wanted is on the other side of fear.’ These quotes have inspired me in the pursuit of my dreams and I hope to help others do the same.”

For more information about education, benefits, community resources and other services contact veterans@lorainccc.edu or 440-366-7378 T Y CO M M U

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Catanese arrived home in January 2018 and started classes two weeks later. His goal was to earn a bachelor’s degree in business through LCCC’s University Partnership program. But just one semester in, Catanese realized business wasn’t for him.

He has also found himself back on the football field, but now as a coach on his sons’ flag football teams.

A New Recrui t

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On February 14, 2017 – just three weeks after Catanese had re-enlisted and been approved to become an Army recruiter – he was in a severe car accident. The accident caused major damage to his spine and brought to light significant damage he had already sustained as a result of his time in the military.

“I knew that I wouldn’t be happy unless I was making a difference in young people’s lives,” he says.

NC

A life-changing transition

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LCCC honored the 2021 graduating class with the “Doors of Opportunity” tribute that celebrated each student’s resilient journey Twenty-one full sized doors lined a median of grass stretching nearly 450 feet. Longer than a football field, the symbolism of the propped-open doors represents the diversity of the challenges each LCCC student overcame to reach their graduation day. Every door included an augmented reality video that shares the personal story of a graduate from each academic program.

In addition to a virtual commencement ceremony, the college invited the class of 2021 to attend a stage-crossing ceremony. Through three separate ceremonies, graduates safely crossed the commencement stage to receive their diploma and take photos with LCCC President Marcia Ballinger.

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“Each student’s journey is unique, and I have deep respect for the commitment it took for each of them to reach this milestone.”

LCCC President, Marcia Ballinger, Ph.D.

• 1,854 LCCC graduates earned 2,234 degrees or certificates • 365 graduates earned associate,

• 46 percent were first-generation

• 94 students earned a high school

• 30 percent of the graduating class

bachelor’s or master’s degrees through the University Partnership – the largest class in the 25-year history of the program

diploma + associate degree through dual enrollment options — saving their families more than $1 million

college students

• 71 percent of graduates enrolled

in typical transfer pathway (associate of arts or associate of science) plan to continue their education this fall either at LCCC or transferring to a four-year institution

plan to stay at LCCC and earn another degree or certificate

• 3,800 audience members

attended the virtual ceremony

• 300 students safely crossed a

commencement stage and took photos with LCCC President Marcia Ballinger

op p ort u n it y I LCCC Cl ass o f 2021

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MEMS GRADUATES

Trailblazers Three students make history as the first graduates of LCCC’s bachelor’s of applied science degree in MEMS

B R A N D O N F I L K E R , D E A N D R E L U R R Y, J A R E D D U M O N

None of them came to Lorain County Community College knowing exactly what they wanted to do, but all three are leaving with on-the-job experience, endless opportunities for growth, and a more confident version of themselves. And a historymaking degree.

Brandon Filker, DeAndre Lurry and Jared Dumont are the first three graduates of LCCC’s bachelor’s of applied science degree in microelectronic manufacturing (MEMS). It’s a class they never expected to be part of but know now it was the best career-building choice. All three were enrolled in the college’s associate degree program in MEMS, which had launched in 2014.

Then, in 2018, LCCC became the first community college to offer a bachelor’s in applied science degree in MEMS.

“This degree is tailored to what companies want,” Lurry says. “So you know you’re getting hands-on and direct skills to set you up for a career.”

And that experience gives local companies confidence, too, that graduates are prepared to enter a rapidly changing workforce. Lurry had an engineering technologist position waiting for him upon graduation. Filker, who had worked full time in MEMSrelated positions during his entire education, received a job offer from Q-Lab Corporation in March. And after Dumont’s nephew connected him to a company that fabricates custom printed circuit boards, assemblies, and wire harnesses, Dumont interviewed and began working there the next week.

“I discovered the value of investing in myself,” Dumont says. “I’ve never been happier than I am these days and it’s in no small way because of this college and the opportunities it’s opened for me.”

• DEANDRE LURRY

• JARED DUMONT

“I was going to be finished with school after my associate degree, but then I had the opportunity to be one of the first students in Ohio to be in the program, and I just had to do it,” Filker says. “Now I have so many opportunities to pursue a career locally in MEMS.” Local job opportunities certainly are abundant. The MEMS program has 100 percent job placement for its graduates, in part because regional employers had a hand in designing it.

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Dumont, Filker and Lurry are poised to be integral parts of the companies they work for and the entire industry as they blaze a new trail in MEMS education.

And in trying something new, these three have learned not only new skills, but about themselves, their potential and their futures.

Lorain County Community College

• BRANDON FILKER

Pathways to Becoming a Registered Nurse LCCC offers three options to earning the associate degree in nursing based on your educational background.

1

Traditional Nursing Program

2

Licensed Practical Nurse to Registered Nurse

3

Paramedic to Registered Nurse

Bachelor of Science in Nursing – Online through the University Partnership Ready to take your education to the next level?

You can earn your bachelor’s degree completely online with the support of LCCC’s University Partnership located at the Elyria campus.

Learn more at lorainccc.edu/nursing

Ohio University

Bachelor of Science in Nursing (RN to BSN)

Western Governor’s University

Bachelor of Science in Nursing (RN to BSN)

LCCC NURSING GRADUATE

A Calling to Care When Heather Horn was ready to pursue her dream of being a nurse she found the confidence and support she needed at LCCC

Even as a child, Heather Horn knew she wanted to be a nurse. She had an obsession with caring for animals, from bunnies to birds to cats and kittens.

“I remember going to get a dress for homecoming in high school when I found a mallard duck in the middle of the road,” Horn recalls. “I put it in my trunk, because I didn’t have a box, and took it home.”

When she opened her trunk, the bird flew away.

“I guess I gave her the time she needed to recoup and recover,” she says.

Horn graduated high school with honors in 1997 and was accepted into a two-year nursing program at a local hospital. But after two semesters, while dealing with personal issues, her grades suffered and she left the program.

“I decided to come back when I had things in a better focus,” she says.

Navigating twists and turns

It wasn’t what she planned, but Horn spent the next two decades building a career in business management and sales, while raising her four children.

From the outside Horn seemed content.

But on the inside, she was far from it.

“I still felt an ache in my heart to pursue my dream,” she said.

In June 2017, at age 40, Horn found herself sitting at an advisor’s desk in the Health and Wellness Sciences academic division at Lorain County Community College.

“I chose LCCC’s nursing program because of the positive reviews I had read,” Horn says. “My fiancé had family members complete the program and they encouraged me to start there.”

After two decades, Horn was finally working toward her dream. But while completing pre-requisite courses before applying to the program, an unthinkable loss almost brought her education to a screeching halt.

During her first semester, Horn’s second eldest daughter was fatally injured in a car accident.

HEATHER HORN

Horn had no idea that it would take 20 years for her to find that focus.

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“I crumbled. I was broken and lost,” Horn says. “But somehow through the devastation, grief, and sadness, I continued.”

Horn entered the nursing program in spring 2019 with a new perspective.

“I learned a lot about myself during that time,” she says. “I learned my support system was incredible, from my professors to the college resources, and my family. Everyone wanted me to be successful.”

Horn found encouragement and support throughout her time in the nursing program, learning from people who not only inspired her, but once were her.

“The great thing about the instructors in the nursing program is they were in our shoes, some of them in the very same program,” Horn says. “They know how we are feeling as students.”

Then, in March 2020, as Horn was completing her clinicals, an unprecedented challenge crashed in – one that no one, not even the experienced instructors, had navigated before.

“When COVID-19 came into play, a new normal was introduced to us,” Horn says.

Clinicals were placed on hold until the fall, after the local hospitals found a way for students to attend safely.

“I have had to put extra precautions in place to stay healthy and protect my patients and my family,” Horn says.

“It’s just the way we must conduct ourselves during this time in our profession and in life.”

Between the health concerns of COVID-19 and the strenuous nature of the program, Horn felt she might not make it to the finish line. But she always found the confidence boost she needed in her instructors.

“It was as if they knew what wheels were turning in our minds,” Horn says. “They took the time to talk about it and ease our fears, to prepare us for exams.”

Confirming a calling to care

Horn was more than prepared for all her exams. She graduated from the nursing program in December 2020 and received LCCC’s Florence Nightingale Student Nurse Award for Nursing Excellence.

“The education I received at LCCC prepared me for success in the current nursing environment.”

“I did not expect to receive this award.

I was in the clinical area providing patients with the care I would want my mother, father, sister or daughter to receive,” Horn says. “But being thought of so highly for this confirms that this is where I should have been all along.”

Today, Horn is a registered nurse in the Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit at University Hospitals in Elyria. And after more than 20 years, Horn finally feels focused.

“I start each shift with a plan, ready to execute and with the focus to do so,” Horn says. “I exist for my patients and they are relying on me to provide them with the best care possible and I need to deliver on that expectation.”

op p ort u n it y I A Cal l i ng t o Care

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UAW / FORD MOTOR COMPANY APPRENTICE

LCCC’s long-standing partnership with UAW/ Ford Motor Company has given nearly 1,000 local workers opportunities to learn new skills and advance their careers Rhonda Williams had worked on the assembly line at Ford Motor Company for 25 years when an opportunity came along that she couldn’t turn down. Williams had earned a spot in the United Auto Workers (UAW)/Ford Motor Company Joint Apprenticeship program.

She took it without hesitation.

“I knew this was an opportunity of a lifetime for me,” she says. “Joining the apprenticeship program made official what I had been striving for all along – remaining employed at Ford while being afforded the opportunity to continuously learn.”

RHONDA WILLIAMS

Joining the apprenticeship program made official what I had been striving for all along – remaining employed at Ford while being afforded the opportunity to continuously learn.”

That learning opportunity takes place at Lorain County Community College, which has partnered with Ford to offer the apprenticeship program for over 20 years. Wanda Arroyo, UAW/Ford Local Joint Apprentice Representative, estimates that in that time nearly 1,000 Ford employees have trained at LCCC, learning a variety of trades including electrical, pipefitter, millwright, welding, toolmaker and industrial truck mechanic.

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There are 75 employees in the program today, including Williams who’s training to be an electrician. Her goal is to earn her journeyman’s card by fall 2021. It’s been rewarding and challenging at the same time.

Arroyo says the value for both employer and employees is unmistakable.

“Employees can attend college and receive pay for working in the trade that they’re striving to receive a journeyman’s card in,” says Arroyo. “It allows them to be more versatile and competitive.”

“Managing the course work at LCCC and on-the-job training, as well as juggling family life has not been easy, but I know it’s worth it,” Williams says.

“It’s rewarding to know that my kids are proud of me – as proud of me as I am of my father and family.”

Ford family ties

As a child, Williams watched her entire family head off to work at Ford. From her grandfather, who started there in the 1940s, to all five of her uncles and her aunt, to her own father; four generations of her family have worked for Ford. They have been assemblers, supervisors, human resource managers, information technology strategists, and soon electricians.

“From the time I can remember, Ford has been a part of my life,” Williams says.

“It has provided a good income and great benefits. As a child I knew I wanted to work at Ford like the rest my family.”

After graduating from Admiral King High school in 1987 she started working part time at Ford’s Lorain Assembly Plant.

A few years later she landed a full-time job at the plant in Avon Lake and has been there ever since.

Expanding skills and building confidence

A win-win

The apprenticeship program is built for full-time employees. Tony Schweppe, manager of business engagement for LCCC, has worked closely with Arroyo to maintain the program, which can quickly adapt based on UAW/Ford’s dynamic workforce development needs.

“LCCC was able to not only identify the skillsets UAW/Ford needed the apprentices to learn, but customize the course offerings to meet the apprentices’ schedules,” Schweppe says.

Being tailormade for full-time workers makes scheduling classes simple, but the program itself challenges even the most diligent employees. Prospective apprentices must complete preparatory courses just to be considered. Once those are complete, UAW/Ford places them on an apprenticeship list with their preferred field of study noted. When their name comes up, they’re offered a trade according to what’s needed at the time and within their interests.

As Williams builds her skillset – she’s earned 510 school hours and 6,100 work hours so far – she’s making sure her course work aligns with the degrees she wants to earn too. She’s on track to earn an associate of science degree and an associate of technical studies degree.

Williams earned an associate of arts degree in 2007 from LCCC. Williams says the supportive and inclusive environment at LCCC – especially in an industry where she’s often one of very few women – makes it easy to keep coming back to the college.

“I could not have come this far in the program without the help of fellow journeymen electricians training me on the job, and the help of the instructors at the college,” she says. “I’m grateful and thankful to everyone that has aided me in this process.”

Much like Williams, UAW/Ford sees a long-term relationship with LCCC too.

“We strongly believe that LCCC is a crucial part of UAW/Ford’s apprenticeship program,” Arroyo says. “So we’ll continue the partnership for years to come,” Arroyo says.

To learn more about apprenticeships offered through LCCC visit lorainccc.edu/apprenticeship

PRE NT NTIICE SHIPS op p ort u n it y I Th e Po wer o f Apprent i cesh i ps

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COLLEGE CREDIT PLUS & TRANSFER STUDENT LCCC

Harvard Bound Will Torres never thought Ivy League schooling was in his future, but with a little help from LCCC that’s where he is today

Will Torres was scrambling. It was summer 2019 and Torres had applied to Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education. He had 31 days to prepare the most important application of his life.

“I had to connect with the faculty and mentors who would write my letters of recommendation and begin writing my statement of purpose,” he says.

Torres thought he had all the components complete when he got a note from admissions – he still needed to submit transcripts. That included transcripts from Lorain County Community College.

Since earning his degree in Black Studies/English in 2005, Torres has spent the last 15 years helping young people improve their lives through education. While he considered his career successful, Torres felt his positive influence was being stifled.

“Harvard offered me the opportunity to build skills and learn concepts that will help me help students on a much larger scale,” Torres says.

But he still needed to finalize his application and, living in Chicago, Torres was worried about getting his LCCC transcript in time.

Luckily, he got a “shockingly quick and positive response.” A few emails later, Torres’ application was complete. And on August 2, 2020 Torres received a message from Harvard admissions – he was in.

Growing up on the east side of Lorain, Torres took College Credit Plus courses at LCCC during his senior year at Lorain Southview High School. It was two English courses, and they changed his life.

WILL TORRES

“My professor pushed me hard,” Torres says. “I wouldn’t have been ready for the rigorous liberal arts education that awaited me in Wooster, if not for LCCC.” After high school, Torres enrolled in the College of Wooster. During summer breaks, he came back to LCCC. “LCCC was a great, welcoming local option,” Torres says. “Without LCCC, I wouldn’t have earned my bachelor’s degree in four years.”

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Lorain County Community College

Torres was accepted into the Education Policy and Management Program and expects to earn his master’s in education in spring 2022.

As Torres looks ahead, he says he’ll never forget where he came from, how hard it was to achieve success, and the role LCCC played in his life.

“I have ten nieces and I have big dreams for them all,” Torres says. “Education has opened so many doors for me and I want each of them to have even more opportunities than I have. LCCC is affordable and accessible and I hope they begin or continue their education there.”

LCCC was a great, welcoming local option.

Without LCCC I wouldn’t have earned my bachelor’s degree in four years.”

FREE Fast-Track to Employment Certificates Looking to train for a new industry? LCCC can help you reach your goals quickly and affordably

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LCCC GRADUATE & UNIVERSITY PARTNERSHIP STUDENT

Anything’s Possible The Advocacy and Resource Center helped Jamie Morrow break through barriers and achieve her academic goals

Jamie Morrow has endured more than a lifetime’s worth of heartbreak.

But she says it has all made her who she is today.

“Everything I went through I believe I was meant to go through,” Morrow says.

“I’ve learned to be resilient and to never give up.”

One thing Morrow has never given up on, no matter the obstacles, is her education. Morrow came to LCCC a couple years after graduating from high school, but withdrew in 2008 while pregnant with her second child, Kaden.

He had been diagnosed in-utero with a congenital diaphragmatic hernia, which means his diaphragm had failed to close, and Morrow was put on bed rest.

In 2018 Morrow returned to LCCC ready to finish what she had started a decade ago. But by fall 2019, Morrow was struggling. She couldn’t find transportation from her home in Lorain to LCCC’s main campus in Elyria.

She was also having trouble paying her monthly bills.

Morrow turned to Women’s Link, a support service within LCCC’s Advocacy and Resource Center (ARC) that provides students with free, confidential services during life crises or financial emergencies. The ARC provided Morrow with emergency financial aid and connected her with other campus resources, like the Commodore Cupboard, an on-campus food pantry. Soon after, she was able to buy a car.

“If it wasn’t for the ARC and Women’s Link, I would have had to drop out again,” says Morrow. “They beyond changed my life.”

JAMIE MORROW

Kaden lived for one month after he was born and then passed away. The pain of losing a son took its toll on Morrow and her marriage. She and her husband divorced in 2014 and a new stress settled into her life.

“I was left with no way to financially support my children,” Morrow says.

“I was trapped on welfare and the only way out for me was to finally graduate from college.”

Learn more about the services available through the ARC www.lorainccc.edu/arc

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Lo rai n Co u n t y Co m m u n i t y Colleg e

Morrow finished the semester with a 4.0 GPA and in May 2020 earned her associate degree in applied business administration. And that was just the beginning. In fall 2020 Morrow enrolled at Hiram University through the University Partnership to earn her bachelor’s degree in accounting and financial management.

“Earning my degrees teaches my children that hard work really does pay off,” Morrow says. “I hope they realize that no matter what mistakes you make, no matter how impossible a situation may seem, anything’s possible.”

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Make this Your Comeback Year !

Get back on track. We understand you may have stepped away from your education during the past year.

This fall is a great time to get back on track toward achieving your goals.

Register today for fall classes.

Lorainccc.edu/fall2021 or 440-366-4032