The College of Choice

For Britney Olsen, the path to success did not come easy. In the first grade, she was diagnosed with auditory processing disorder–a learning disorder affecting the ability to understand speech.

Each semester, Olsen introduced herself to her instructors and confirmed her accommodations; becoming a strong advocate for herself and ensuring her success. In addition to her disability accommodations, Olsen utilized Moraine Park’s student success center and campus tutors to receive extra help.

“For a long time, I let excuses prevent me from living my life,” Olsen said. “I told myself that since I had a disability, I was not good enough or intelligent enough to go to college. I do not live by that lie anymore.”

“When I came to Moraine Park, I did not want to do any extracurriculars,” Garza said. “I was here to do a job. I had been through school before, and I knew the drill: show up, do the work, get the grades and graduate. Eventually, after attending a few meetings, my mind started to change.”

“I’m now very passionate about community and technical colleges,” Garza said. “I already had an associate degree before coming to Moraine Park, and I believe technical education is the future. I looked into some four-year schools before making a decision about my education, and they were all prohibitively expensive. I’ve met some of the coolest, nicest, most inclusive and intelligent people I’ve ever met at Moraine Park.”

Garza serves as Moraine Park’s Fond du Lac Student Senate President and the College’s District Student Government (DSG) President.

Yadira is a student in Moraine Park’s Nursing program. She and her sister Guadalupe are two of the more than 84 percent of full-time and first-time students who receive financial aid.

Yadira works at Marquardt Home Health as a CNA and plans to pursue her Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) after graduation and work in women’s health. She is also a part of Moraine Park’s Promise Program, an opportunity for debt-free tuition.

“Moraine Park’s Promise Program has not only helped me afford tuition, but it has also given me amazing mentors who helped guide me as a first-generation college student,” Yadira mentioned.

In 2017, while 7 months pregnant, Hernandez made the decision to prioritize her education for herself and her children. Seven years later, she has completed her GED, become a mother of three and will earn her associate degree in Nursing this spring.

“After earning my GED, I thought ‘Gosh, I really can do this’,” Hernandez said. “So, I decided to take my education further. When I chose nursing, I was nervous because I was never good at math, but I knew it was something I could do. The Moraine Park faculty played a big role in me learning about myself and what I was capable of.”

Hernandez is one of the many Moraine Park students who have been hired before graduation—a huge accomplishment and testament to her hard work. Come June, Hernandez will be a nurse on the med-surg unit at Froedtert Hospital in West Bend.

“I’m very grateful for Moraine Park,” she said. “Although it’s been a long five years, I’ve been very supported along the way, and I’m so excited for this new chapter in my life.”

She joins in this celebration with her children, one of whom will be graduating from high school this spring. Hernandez and her family have marked this momentous time by welcoming a new puppy.