BBCC Trustees Salute Students who Transformed Their Lives Through Education

Seven college students who overcame barriers and transformed their lives through education were honored Feb. 25 at Big Bend Community College.

“The students’ life stories are a testament to the power of education,” said Trustee Stephen McFadden. “Trustees think recognizing all of them is right.”

In recent years trustees have had difficulty naming a “winner” for the Transforming Lives Award. The personal stories of the nominees are so compelling that trustees struggled to pick one over the rest to represent BBCC at a recognition event in Olympia.

Seven college students who overcame barriers and transformed their lives through education were honored Feb. 25 at Big Bend Community College.

“The students’ life stories are a testament to the power of education,” said Trustee Stephen McFadden. “Trustees think recognizing all three is right.”

In recent years trustees have had difficulty naming a “winner” for the Transforming Lives Award. The personal stories of the nominees are so compelling that trustees struggled to pick one over the rest to represent BBCC at a recognition event in Olympia.

Trustees decided last year to host a dinner to recognize all the BBCC nominees in front of their family and friends.

Some of the nominees are the first in their family to graduate from high school and to attend College. Others overcame a troubled past and used education and the support they received at BBCC to transform their lives.

The students were honored in front of BBCC’s highest ranking officials, including trustees, president, vice presidents, and deans. The college produced poster-size photos of each recipient to post in buildings on campus.

“College seemed like a dream,” said Lupe Campos, who graduated from BBCC and is now attending Central Washington University. “Coming from a migrant family, we moved a lot.”

The keynote speaker was Diana Villafana, the new Student Success Coordinator at BBCC. She grew up in Royal City and came from a household that spoke only Spanish. After marriage and children, she “went against not only my family, but my culture” when she decided to pursue a college degree. She completed a bachelor’s degree in social work in 2012 and was recently promoted to Coordinator of the Student Success Center.

“My biggest accomplishment is breaking the typical education cycle that most Latinos fall into,” said Villafana.

Her oldest daughter earned a bachelor’s degree last year and her second daughter is a Running Start student at BBCC who will graduate this year.

“Now I can truly say education has transformed my life,” she said.