Not The Typical Student

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Gaylene Nixon

Photo of Gaylene Nixon. Gaylene Nixon defies the concept of the non-traditional student. She has worked in a south Douglas County school as an aide and a cook for 16 years while her kids were in school. She had pretty much decided she was destined to perform manual labor all of her life. However, her kids began encouraging her to go back to school. She recalls, “ I never thought that I could go to college and succeed but I decided to try it, and the rest is history. I have carried 19-22 credits each of the six terms that I have been coming to UCC and have worked in the Corporative Work Experience program for five terms at the Douglas County Detention Center. I also have another job in addition to school and CWE, which keeps me busy. When people ask me how I do everything I simply say I LOVE what I do.”

Gaylene loves kids and chose Criminal Justice as her major because she wants to help them. That is why she chose to pursue a one-year Criminology certificate. Reflecting on her choice, she says “soon I found that I loved learning and that doors were beginning to open for me.” She received the Outstanding Student of the Year in Criminal Justice in the spring of 2006. She has transferred to Southern Oregon University to get her Bachelor’s degree through online classes.

Gaylene shares, “I have immensely enjoyed my time at UCC. I found many of my teachers helpful and willing to take the time to answer my questions. The learning atmosphere is excellent and I was able to gain an amazing amount of self-confidence while I was here. I now know that I CAN succeed at whatever I choose to do”.