Investing in Success

While many PCC students benefit from the generosity of donors who support scholarships to help them reach their educational goals, two of the Foundation’s student workers have entered the work study program in hopes of paying it forward.

“As someone who’s in her thirties and has a lot in the air in terms of her education, it’s been great to have the Foundation to rely on,” said natural sciences major Meredith Rutledge. “They’re whole mission is to help people get through PCC and transfer.”

Meredith and fellow student worker Nhi (Joey) Le took turns talking about the impact the Foundation has had on their education.

“The biggest thing about the Foundation,” Meredith said, “is the scholarship opportunities that it affords students. Scholarships gives students the freedom to take that first step in their education. Sometimes that step can cost thousands of dollars. And that can be really daunting if what you’re looking for is to ‘find yourself’ through a college experience.”

“It definitely takes away some of the anxiety,” echoed Joey. “Scholarships give people a leg up; they inspire and motivate and allow people to continue with their education who might not have the chance otherwise.”

For Joey, who was awarded the Student Success Scholarship in Fall 2021, the opportunity to work in the Foundation offices was not just a matter of paying it forward, it was also the chance to learn the business side of things.

“I’m majoring in business administration,” he explained. “And ultimately, I’m going for my Bachelor of Science in either accounting or finance. Money management has been a longtime interest of mine, and fundraising is a big part of that. Learning how to engage with donors and incentivize and inspire people to give to your cause—that’s important. I’m picking up a lot of skills by working with the Foundation. Everything from time management to organizational skills. It’s helping me build confidence.”

Meredith found her way to the Foundation through PASS, PCC’s Program for Academic Support Services.

“They’ve been indispensable in terms of being a hub of connection for me,” she said. “I have my own counselor who knows me and my goals. They’re there for guidance, financial support, and connecting students to resources—that’s how I ended up getting the work study with the Foundation.”

In describing their work study, both Meredith and Joey say they are working in an “office capacity.”

“You help where you’re needed,” said Meredith. “We’re in a support role; you could relate us to interns. It could be that we’re doing office work or helping with a one-time project that some of the staffers would like executed. We’re basically there to support the staff and take on supplemental tasks that need to be done so they can focus on their workload.”

“Everything in the Foundation offices is related to finance,” Joey added. “The kind of work we’re doing is really tailored to my major, which is great. I’m learning a lot from the experience.”

From an early age, Joey had a knack for business.

“I had multiple businesses growing up,” he explained. “One of them, I would go around the neighborhood and collect recyclables—bottles, cans, anything plastic or aluminum—and I would make anywhere from $100 to $120 a day. I’d do this from nine to five, and I loved seeing my work pay off. That’s really what got me into finance.”

It was Joey’s father, an import/export merchandise manager, who taught him the value of investing.

“My dad told me it was important for me to understand business, and as I got older, I began making ledger accounts, tracking my finances, and really understanding what I could and couldn’t do in terms of business.”

While Meredith isn’t pursuing a career in business, it’s her deep appreciation for what the Foundation has done for her that inspires her to give back.

“Even though it’s a work study, and there’s a financial motivation, I have a lot of emotional and personal stock in being involved with the Foundation,” she explained. “Pursing an education didn’t feel possible for much of my adult life, and to have found PCC and all the resources here—it’s been a real gift.”

The catalyst for Meredith’s return to college came in the form of the California College Promise Grant, which allows eligible California residents to have their enrollment fees waived.

“I grew up in rural Connecticut, right outside New York,” she said. “I initially came to California for the weather and ended up staying here. Everything about my life up to that point was centered around getting my education. I struggled throughout my twenties to make that happen. And when I found PCC, I realized it was exactly what I was looking for.”

Because of the California College Promise Grant, Meredith was able to enroll at PCC completely free.

“It took all the pressure off me,” she said. “Even as a Connecticut resident, if I wanted to take a full semester of classes at one of the state schools, I would be looking at anywhere from five to eight-thousand-dollars out of pocket. It just becomes impractical, especially for someone who’s still trying to determine what career they want to pursue.”

In Meredith’s case, returning to school was about a career change.

“For a long time now, I’ve known that I was leaning toward the STEM field,” she explained. “One of my long-term goals is to go to veterinary school and specialize in either wildlife or agricultural animals. But when I was in my twenties, my education was focused more on the arts.”

It took Meredith years to realize that her interests lay elsewhere. “Growing up in rural New England, I spent a lot of time working with barn animals,” she explained. “Cows, in particular, I love. And there’s a lot of science—everything from ecology to evolution to biology—that goes into the professional care and handling of these animals.” But something like going back to school and dishing out thousands of dollars in student loans seemed, for Meredith, unrealistic.

“I’m so glad I found PCC,” she said. “Because of the California Promise waiver and the Foundation, I was able to start pursuing my goals.”

In 2019, Meredith received the Gertmenian Food Industry Scholarship, and then the PASS Scholarship in 2021. She first met Kris McPeak, the Foundation’s Director of Operations, at a scholarship essay writing workshop, and over time got the sense that she, and the rest of the Foundation staff, were people of the same cloth.

“They’re genuinely interested in helping people fulfill their educational goals,” said Meredith. “I can’t tell you how refreshing it is knowing that you have people, a whole system, on your side.”

For Joey, it’s the cause of the Foundation that really matters.

“Cause is one of the biggest factors when it comes to getting donations,” he said. “Explaining the why and rallying people to your cause, that’s what the Foundation does so well. And it’s one of the reasons they’ve been so successful.”

“And it’s especially true right now,” he added. “When you consider where we’re at as a society, coming out of a pandemic, with a slowed workforce, it’s more important than ever to motivate and inspire and invest in people.”

Investment. That’s precisely how Joey looks at his work study, and it’s how he imagines the Foundation looks at him.

“It’s all about investing in the future and investing in success,” he said. “I don’t like the fact that people get into so much debt that they can’t pay off their student loans. College should be resourceful and provide quality education and help people get on their feet in terms of their career. It shouldn’t bankrupt them.”

Meredith agrees. “PCC and the Foundation provided a safety net that made it very easy and practical for me to return to school,” she said. “As someone who wasn’t happy in the industry I was in but knew where I wanted to go, that was especially important. I knew I wouldn’t be overextending myself, financially speaking, to get my education.

“All the energy I had put into my education in my twenties was finally found at PCC—there’s just so much support here!”

Meredith is in her final year at PCC and plans to transfer to one of the UCs in Fall 2022.

Likewise, Joey is preparing to graduate next Spring and has his sights set on Cal State LA.