Delana -
06/04/2023 This is the perfect opportunity to express my gratitude and share with people how special Oxnard College is to me. I want to choose my words carefully because it is so important to me that people really get it. This is a place that really changed everything for me.
Now I know that college and higher education changes people's lives all the time. It opens up the doors to opportunity, and helps people get a good job, and the whole nine. I mean that's what it's supposed to do, right? But that's not what I'm talking about. When I say this college changed everything, I mean even the way I view the world. More importantly, they did what I wasn't able to do in over 40 years. They made me change the way I viewed myself.
From the moment I spoke to one of the counselors on the phone, before I even started school, my thoughts started to shift. Because back then I was at an all time low. I didn't even want to live much less start college. Especially since I hadn't set foot in a classroom in more than a decade. I was terrified.
With that first conversation with the counselor, I felt like I could go to my first appointment and I would be ok. I'm telling you I didn't even think I could do that. I'm a damaged person who is painfully shy and has constant anxiety. But that counselor has a gift. She can make you feel like you've known her for years and that succeeding in college, even at my age, was going to be a piece of cake. The next counselor I would talk to had a big hand in enlightening me with possibility. The one after that ended up being one of my favorite people in the world. She still supports me and reminds me of what I'm capable of. Then there's my most recent counselor who I've seen in every workshop, orientation, and just about every gathering that provides students with opportunities. I had already noticed his passion for helping people long before I met him. These are just a few of the people that make up an entire college full of extraordinary human beings.
Have you ever been to a place of business, any place, where every single employee had an obvious passion for their job? Neither have I. And you probably never will. But if you're curious to find out what that looks like, take a tour through Oxnard College. Pick a random counselor, or teacher, or anyone who works on that campus. I guarantee it won't take long for you to find out what I mean!
I am now moving on to my third semester at Oxnard College, majoring in English, and pursuing my dream of becoming a writer. I've maintained straight A's the first two semesters and I don't see anything that can stop me from continuing that streak. I also received the 2023 Live Your Dream Award and I can honestly tell you, that is exactly what I'm doing. I'm living my dream. Before this all happened, the last place in the world I thought I would end up was college and doing this well would have sounded like a joke to me. But the people here provided me with a support system that I have never had. You see, any college can provide people with an education. But if someone doesn't even have the confidence to show up or the support to keep going, it isn't going to do any good. Words can never express how grateful and lucky I feel to be a student here. But I'm going to use them to keep trying every chance I get!
Melissa -
10/16/2019My experience at Oxnard College has been great from the start. The professors are passionate and really focus on helping you if you are struggling with the subject. The counselors are very helpful and lead you into the right direction when making your ed plan etc. They also have a student lounge available which is where I like to relax while I'm waiting for my next class if I have a long break in between. Overall, all the faculty in the student service building are helpful and I have never had any issues in the 3 years of my attending.