Finding Her Place: CSF Scholar Angela Navigates College Life
Angela graduates from Marysville Pilchuck High School in June 2024 and gives remarks during the graduation ceremony.
Like many College Success Foundation students, CSF Scholar Angela didn’t know if college would be part of her educational journey. As a senior at Marysville Pilchuck High School, she wanted to move on to college after graduation but thought making her dream a reality would be too financially challenging. As the year progressed, she put college aside and decided to focus on graduating high school.
Later in her senior year, a friend encouraged Angela to stop into a CSF meeting with her. It was there that she learned about resources for graduating seniors, including Washington state’s Passport to Careers — a program for former foster youth and unaccompanied homeless youth to prepare for and succeed in college or apprenticeship programs. For her, the program was an unexpected entry point to college.
As an unaccompanied minor, Angela qualified for the statewide program, and suddenly her dream of attending college seemed much more attainable. Passport students receive support services and a scholarship that can be used for tuition, fees, books, housing and transportation. After securing additional financial aid and scholarships, she carefully organized her finances to ensure she could afford college and on-campus housing.
Before she left high school, she was introduced to CSF coach Ariana, who supports CSF Scholars at Everett Community College (EVCC). Angela remembers meeting her and filing away her email address, knowing she had someone to reach out to when she got to college.
Angela arrives on campus
This past fall, Angela moved onto campus at EVCC and reconnected with Ariana. She started meeting with her one-on-one regularly and built a rapport over the course of her first quarter.
“My first step with new students as a college coach is building trust and forming authentic relationships,” explains Ariana. “As students arrive on campus, my priority is to connect with them on a personal level, as a fellow human navigating life, so they feel more comfortable coming to me with any concerns or challenges.”
Many CSF Scholars are first-generation college students, which often means they face challenges in understanding the higher education system. It can feel like colleges operate in a different language, with unfamiliar systems and terminology, which can be overwhelming. Ariana shares: “I support students by helping them navigate these complexities so they can feel more confident and have a sense of belonging in their new environment.”
“The first meeting I had with Ariana was about me being afraid of not meeting friends because I’m really shy and how I could do something about it,” explains Angela. “Now we talk about academics, what I want to do next, what I need as a student. She’s been encouraging me to start attending the CSF club on campus.”
Making the most out of the college experience
Angela explores Everett Community College’s campus.
After her first quarter, which mainly consisted of required classes in lecture settings, Angela is now settling in and hitting her stride. She has started taking more hands-on classes in her field of study, advanced manufacturing and technical design, which she is very enthusiastic about.
“I love designing and 3D modeling,” says Angela. “Designing new things or redesigning something that already exists, but making it better. Eventually, I would like to work for a parts manufacturing company or a construction company.”
Angela is taking 15 credits this quarter, a full load. Plus, she works up to 30 hours a week as a crew trainer at McDonald’s. Her schedule doesn’t leave a lot of time for social outings with friends, but finding a balance is something that she’s working on. She is trying to keep Saturdays as a day to connect with friends and extended family who live nearby.
Angela understands becoming more integrated into campus life at EVCC will make it easier to meet people and build community. “I really, really want to get involved on campus. I was thinking of maybe working on campus next quarter.”
After receiving her associate degree next year, Angela wants to transfer to a four-year university to extend her studies in design and 3D modeling: “I want to stay in Washington. I did my research and found out that Washington State University has a little university right here in Everett, and they have two majors that I am interested in.”
CSF coaches support students throughout their college experience. “College is an opportunity to discover what excites you,” says Ariana. “Finding fulfillment and purpose in your work is key to finding satisfaction and purpose in what you could be doing for years on end.”