The San Jose\/Evergreen College District Foundation\u2019s annual fundraiser hosted more than 230 community leaders on Aug. 22 at the San Jose Athletic Club\u2019s Corinthian Grand Ballroom.<\/p>\n
The unfolding events brought forth the foundation\u2019s true purpose and impact on the community.<\/p>\n
Autumn Young, San Jose\/Evergreen Community College Foundation Chair, opened the annual Bridge to the Future luncheon by telling her story of fear from stepping on the San Jose City College campus for the first time 30 years ago.<\/p>\n
\u201cI wasn\u2019t successful. When I sat in the class the first day I was shaking, I was so afraid, Young said. \u201cI don\u2019t belong here, what makes me think I have the ability to make a difference and grow?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWith tears in my eyes I approached the instructor after class and said, \u2018I don\u2019t think I can do this, I don\u2019t have the first idea of how to study, I don\u2019t know what to do and I don\u2019t have the confidence, Young said.\u201d<\/p>\n
The instructor responded by saying, \u2018I\u2019m going to seat you with another student.\u2019 And then he gave me some very sage wisdom and said, \u2018When you study a topic make sure you know the who, the what, the where and why.<\/p>\n
Young has since earned her Associate of Arts degree from SJCC in 2005, and is pursuing a degree at San Jose State University.<\/p>\n
Other successful students also shared their stories of initial fear, hardships and self-doubt in attending community college.<\/p>\n
As a child, Daniel Rodabaugh was diagnosed with dyslexia and deemed to be a slow learner and a high tempered special ed kid.<\/p>\n
Years later he hid his insecurities with drugs and alcohol, which eventually led him to Folsom State Prison.<\/p>\n
Prison gave Daniel time to read. \u201cAs I wrote letters home to my mom, she said, \u2018hey you know what? Your reading and writing has gotten a lot better, maybe you should try to go to school,\u2019 and in spring of 2009 I applied to SJCC and qualified for financial aid,\u201d Daniel said.<\/p>\n
Daniel is majoring in Drug and Alcohol Studies with six classes left and hopes to transfer to a state university.<\/p>\n
He said, \u201cone day I will transfer to state university, that\u2019s a lot for a convict, to be able to transfer to a state university. \u2026 I\u2019m not that \u2018special ed\u2019 kid anymore…and the biggest hope I have is to help that one dyslexic \u2018special ed\u2019 kid, and help him get his life in order then the miracle is really learned.\u201d<\/p>\n
After several relapses which again sent Daniel to prison, he valiantly declared, \u201cmy clean date is \u00a0April 17, 2010.\u201d<\/p>\n
Vice Chancellor Carol Coen, said, \u201cBecause of Daniel\u2019s story of overcoming learning disabilities a Bridge to the Future guest stated, my son is just like that; we didn’t see any light at the end of the tunnel, but we do now.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
Other successful student speakers \u00a0gave their story of recovering from physical or emotional trauma as a result of physical injury, broken homes and unstable childhoods.<\/p>\n
All of the student stories had several threads in common.<\/p>\n
Somehow each storyteller was able to step out of themselves and realize they wanted more from life than what they were experiencing; each story had someone who was there to encourage them.<\/p>\n
At the spark of this realization, each storyteller found their way to the SJEVCCD. And each storyteller has a desire to reach back and give someone else a \u201chand up.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u00a0Chancellor Rita Cepeda once said at an Academic Senate meeting, \u201cWe all have the responsibility to reach behind and lift somebody up.\u201d<\/p>\n
A \u00a0San Jose Evergreen Community College District employee said to Coen, “I am so proud to be a part of the SJECCD. The work we do is so important. I never realized it before.”<\/p>\n
The Foundation is the 501(c)(3) arm of SJECCD and provides financial assets for many student success endeavors.<\/p>\n