COCC DEAN'S LIST
Congratulations to all students that appear on the Dean's List for their outstanding academic achievement. To be eligible to appear on the Deans List, students are required to be enrolled
for 12 or more graded credits and receive a term GPA of 3.60 or better.
• Current Dean's List - Summer Term 2009
• List of 2006/07 Graduates
2009 Central Oregon Community College Student Scholars
Siagigi Hintsatake
Siagigi Hintsatake |
Siagigi Hintsatake, a member of the Warm Springs Tribe, started college as a teenager, but was confused about what she wanted to do and dropped out. For years she worked as a daycare teacher, then as a caregiver.
“Now, I’m ready to obtain my degree so I can contribute to my community,” reflects Siagigi, 30. “What I’ve learned so far has helped me tremendously to understand my community’s sociological issues and their solutions.”
According to her sociology instructor, Siagigi is always prepared, actively engaged, motivated, inquisitive, and dedicated. She asked a plethora questions to gain a sociological understanding of drug use and drug policy. Throughout several courses, she related various course theories to this particular topic. The culmination of her work in sociology and writing classes was to research the implementation of a drug court model in her community.
“This led her to writing a research paper on addressing drug-related problems on the reservation in Warm Springs,” remembers Tom Barry, associate professor of sociology. “She would ask questions and ask for more information and research. She wanted to know as much as she could because she wanted to make an impact on the lives of others.”
She plans to earn my bachelor’s degree in social science and then a master’s degree in social work at Portland State University. Right now she’s considering a career in the public policy arena.
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Jessica Smith
Jessica Smith |
After earning a degree in early childhood education in 2000 at Central Oregon Community College, Jessica Smith taught preschool for six years until the school closed. Acting on her fascination with both the dynamics of children and families and the technological advances in the care of premature infants, she is pursuing a career as a neonatal nurse.
“The nursing program at COCC has been challenging and engaging, and I’ve been incredibly impressed with the knowledge, delivery of content and professionalism displayed by our instructors,” says Smith, adding that these have been the most challenging and difficult three years of her life.
“Jess combines superb thinking skills with terrific people shills,” said one of her nursing instructors. She has the ability to process information in depth and apply it in the clinical setting. She creates instant rapport with a wide variety of patients.
Smith will earn her nursing degree in June and will be the first in her family to earn a degree. She plans to start work on a bachelor’s degree in nursing through Linfield College.
“Earning a certificate or degree is one of the most important things that can be done to concretely move toward your goals and community colleges can make it happen. The support of community colleges offer students is unbelievable.”
“Besides boosting the economy of a town or region, community colleges encourage and empower, and give the members of a community access to knowledge.”
“For many the idea of coming up with tuition can be so daunting that the idea of a college education is simply too much to manage. The lower cost of attending a community college makes a quality education possible. Community colleges are often the bridge to a person reaching out and seeking something better for themselves and those they love. I know it was for me.”