Reece OctoberDonovan SavageLisa ScottJose Manuel Sanchez-Martinez
Reece October皇冠新现金网的校训是“从这里开始，到任何地方”!" But 2023's commencement speaker Reece October's Butte College journey began more than 10,000 miles from "here" in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, 只需在谷歌上搜索一下美国大学.
Determined to break free from the prescribed norms of her high school and explore the world beyond her collectivist home country, she sought an opportunity to study abroad. 皇冠新现金网出现在最热门的搜索结果之一, 里斯大胆地联系了瑞秋·伍德, Butte's international student coordinator, to inquire about the admissions process. This initial step led her on a transformative path across geographical boundaries and cultural barriers.
反思她在皇冠新现金网的经历, Reece shares, "I did some traveling in high school, and that's when I started thinking, 'Hey, what's life like outside of South Africa?“我想脱离集体主义社会，找出里斯是谁... At my high school, everything had to be just so, you had to wear a uniform, your hair had to be a certain way, and your nails needed to be cut. There was no room for individual expression." Her journey to Butte College became an opportunity for self-discovery and personal growth beyond the classroom.
One of the pivotal moments in Reece's journey was her involvement in Butte College's identity-based centers, where she worked as a student assistant. These centers, which celebrate diversity and inclusivity, 成为了里斯个人成长的催化剂. 她解释说:“我以前从未见过这样的东西. 在这些中心，我了解了其他人，扩展了我的知识，看到了社区." These spaces provided her with a sense of belonging and taught her to strike a balance between her community-based upbringing and her newfound individuality. 里斯强调社区和包容的重要性，并说, "Butte College's commitment to practicing inclusivity is what made being an international student feel a lot less scary and a lot more like home."
里斯感谢在她的旅程中发挥了重要作用的教职员工. She says, "Butte College faculty encouraged me by providing her with professional development and training, encouraging her to come out of her shell." The guidance and support she received helped her build confidence and create a sense of family on campus.
Reece's speech echoed the values of Ubuntu, 来自南非的恩古尼·班图语强调同情心, dignity, and community. She shares her journey of self-discovery, emphasizing the importance of education, community, and embracing one's unique path. Through her story, 里斯提醒她的同龄人教育的变革力量, 敦促他们拥抱人类经历的多样性，并相互授权.
After graduating, Reece will transfer to Saint Peter's University in New Jersey to pursue an accelerated master's program in industrial-organizational psychology. She hopes to work as a behavioral analyst and pursue a doctoral degree in industrial-organizational psychology to become a board-certified behavioral analyst.
Donovan Savage高中毕业后，多诺万·萨维奇心中有一个目标，并计划实现它. 他的目标是进入加州大学伯克利分校哈斯商学院学习. To get there, the Alturas, California, native knew he had to have a competitive application.
“我在高中时没有取得应有的成绩，”他回忆说. "I knew Butte College had a strong transfer rate into the UC system and that I would have a higher chance of being accepted into Berkeley as a transfer student." Donovan enrolled at Butte College in the fall of 2021 and began working towards his associate degree in business administration.
他回忆起早年在一次代数考试中得了C时遇到的障碍. Rather than feeling deterred, he said the experience was a wake-up call and a motivation to study harder and apply himself. This spring, Donovan will graduate with a 4.0-grade point average and an acceptance letter to UC Berkeley's Haas School of Business, among other prestigious four-year schools.
反思来自皇冠新现金网教职员工的支持, 多诺万说，他们帮助他坚持到底，达到了他的最终目标. He credits transfer counselor Doug Minton with helping him map his course schedule to meet the transfer requirements for a UC and his Phi Theta Kappa advisor Brian Donnelly with making sure he had a competitive application.
他说:“学院的座右铭是‘从这里开始，到任何地方’。. "If you set goals, stay focused and remember why you're here, there's nothing you can't achieve.多诺万今年秋天将转到加州大学伯克利分校攻读学士学位. 他希望成为一家金融机构的分析师.
Lisa Scott"Life wasn't always good for me," reflects Lisa Scott as she looks back on her challenging journey to reach her current position. “但我看看我所处的位置和我所取得的成就，我知道我做到了."
At 61, following a long career in social services, 丽莎最近获得了社会与行为科学的副学士学位, opening up a new opportunity for her as a manager at Alliance for Workforce Development.
Lisa's Butte College journey began in 1998 when she was required to take early childhood education courses for her job at Glenn County Head Start. “我从来不认为自己是‘上大学的料’，”她承认. "But those early courses were encouraging." She continued taking additional courses beyond her employer's requirements until she got to her GE math class. “那还不如是外语呢，”她惊叫道. 由于受到这种情况的影响，她需要把精力集中在事业和家庭上，于是她不再去上学了.
Over the next two decades, Lisa returned to Butte College multiple times while juggling single motherhood and a series of jobs advocating for children, foster youth, and adults seeking career development. “每次到了我需要上数学课的学期, I'd find a reason to step away." During this time, she shared her experiences with Nip Boyes, 他是皇冠新现金网前卫生服务助理主任, 是谁鼓励她去参观残疾学生项目和服务办公室的. "This was a turning point," she remembered. “我被诊断出患有注意力缺陷多动症，并得到了适当的支持以取得成功.她回忆说，第一次数学考试得了B时，她哭了.
In 2018, one semester away from completing an associate degree for transfers and transferring to Chico State, Lisa was given an opportunity to move into a lead role working with survivors of the Camp Fire. "I had to take it," she said. "I needed to help this population.她再一次搁置了学业. 丽莎在没有获得学位的情况下，已经在事业上尽了最大努力. When a management position became available, 尽管她没有学位，但她有必要的经验和专业知识. She convinced herself to speak with a Butte College counselor to review her coursework and was surprised to learn that the courses she had taken, 她认为这些仅仅是“大学课程的皮毛”," fulfilled the requirements for an associate degree in social and behavioral sciences. 有了这些知识，她申请了毕业和经理的职位.
她总结道:“我想让别人知道，年龄并不重要。. “如果你足够渴望并愿意为之努力，你就能实现你的目标."
Jose Manuel Sanchez-Martinez"My parents constantly reminded me that I was delving into a territory they had no knowledge of. 他们会帮助我的每一步，但他们没有给我答案." Jose Manuel Sanchez-Martinez's experience represents that of many Latinx and first-generation students who navigate the college system without the guidance of generational experience.
他的旅程始于2021年秋天，高中毕业后不久. This spring, he graduated with honors and will soon transfer to UC Davis to pursue his bachelor's degree in political science. 他的目标是在获得学士学位后进入法学院.
Reflecting on his time at Butte College, Jose shared, “我高中一毕业就加入了皇冠新现金网. 我对自己想做什么有个大概的想法，但不是很确定... We are given the opportunity to 'be anything.' Sometimes, that scope is too wide."
“在皇冠新现金网任教似乎是一项艰巨的任务，”他接着说. "With hundreds of classrooms, dozens of buildings and five parking lots, it's easy to lose your place. 最初的几个星期，我紧紧地抓着地图不放. More daunting than physically navigating, however, is mentally navigating the college system." Jose found support in the College's abundance of resources and extracurricular activities. "If you are confused or have a question, there is someone on campus who can help answer your question or point you in the right direction."
在皇冠新现金网，乔斯积极参与皇冠新现金网的各个方面. 他沉浸在课外活动中, 认识到他们有潜力提升他的大学经历. “课外活动是我从时间中找到最大成就感的地方.他参与的最有影响力的活动之一是演讲和辩论队. “加入演讲和辩论队让我有机会走遍全国, meet amazing people and win shiny trophies, 同时练习我的批判性沟通技巧."
"Beyond his impressive competitive record, 何塞表现出非凡的领导才能," added his coach, Shannan Troxel-Andreas. "Helping new students, workshopping creative ideas and volunteering whenever a need arose."
他的精彩表演曾多次出现在演讲和校园活动中. Furthermore, Jose played an instrumental role as a key organizer for the Northern California Truck Club, 展示了他倡导事业和团结他人的能力.
何塞在皇冠新现金网的旅程即将结束, he reflects on his motivations, saying, “我妈妈的梦想是接受高等教育, but due to her circumstances, it was never possible... 我知道我的许多同学都有同感. 所以我才这么努力地来到这里, 站在成绩同样优异的学生中间, if not more, to be here with us." These words underscore Jose's appreciation for the sacrifices made by his parents and his dedication to creating opportunities for himself and others.
何塞·桑切斯-马丁内斯是一个坚定的榜样, 适应力和在陌生环境中拥抱机遇的力量. 他正准备开始他在加州大学戴维斯分校学术之旅的下一个篇章, he will undoubtedly continue to make a lasting impact and inspire those around him with his unwavering pursuit of excellence.
Butte College
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Oroville, CA 95965
Content editor:
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