Online Learning with Kaileen

Transcript

Though located in Montana, FPCC has students from several states all across the country. One of those outta state students is Kaileen who attends classes from nearly 500 miles away. With a robust online learning system, FPCC provides academic resources to anyone, anywhere. Just make sure the WiFi’s fired up. Over to you, Kaileen.

– Thanks, Alex and hi everyone. I live in Casper, Wyoming, and I’m the mother of two young children. I’ve pursued my degree a few times over the years, but life always seems to happen. Last year though, I found Fort Peck Community College and I’m now well on my way to earning my degree in social work. Initially, when I decided to sign up for FPCC, I felt scared due to living hours and hours away. I’m a non-traditional student and my life is chaotic, but FPCC offered asynchronous classes that allow me to participate in a timeframe that’s less overwhelming. Loy Sprague is my advisor and she’s great at making me feel supported because living 7 1/2 hours away, when a problem arises, my anxiety will tell me it can’t be solved. A quick email from Loy assures me that it can be solved easily. surprisingly, attending Fort Peck Community College online has also reconnected me with my community. I moved off the reservation at 18 and sometimes, you can get made to feel other when you don’t live here. But having a class in my tribal history literature and being taught by Native American professors, it’s amazing. I truly believe that the renewed sense of belonging built my confidence and is the reason I’m able to graduate and walk across that stage in May. My goal with social work is to be someone that can help make a native child feel safe because the system wasn’t built for us. Without FPCC, I don’t know that I would’ve gained the hope that now makes my dreams possible. Fort Peck Community College not only gave me the opportunity to succeed, they also gave me the community I needed to succeed too. Back to you, Alex.

– Thanks, Kaileen. It’s wonderful to hear how you’ve regained confidence and reconnected with the reservation and community. It has to be reassuring to know that the people who are teaching and mentoring you have had similar experiences as you growing up. Thanks again for sharing your story. That was awesome.