As young adults, don’t we all have plans? And even though it might be difficult at first, aren’t we happy when our plans change for the better?
Growing up and graduating from high school in Hickory, Heather Childers felt quite excited about the prospect of college. She dreamed of what life would be like once she moved away from home and went to a 4-year university. She planned to work hard to finance her education. During her year of preparing for college and submitting university applications, however, Heather received the unexpected opportunity to go to college without worrying about gathering debt.
The high school principal approached her with the news that she had been nominated for and had the chance to receive a scholarship from the CVCC Foundation. She had the option to accept the scholarship and start college Catawba Valley immediately after high school graduation.
This option was a no-brainer for young Heather, who remembers thinking she landed the perfect scenario—living at home, earning her college degree, and finding support through the Foundation scholarship. But as she entered Red Hawk Nation and started the first weeks of class, she had no idea that her scholarship would soon transform her leadership potential. She came to CVCC with plans of becoming a Dental Hygienist, but after discovering the competitive aspects of the Dental Hygiene program, she decided to focus on another passion, Law and Criminal Justice. The bulk of her courses at CVCC led to an associate’s degree within the Criminal Justice program.
As a smaller college campus, CVCC was the right place for Heather to build a foundation and get involved with a closeknit community of students and mentors. The Foundation scholarship was an added catalyst that set her off on the right course. Because the scholarship donor held ties to a Rotary Chapter, Heather got connected with junior Rotary and dove right into leadership, taking on the role of President for the local Roteract Club (Rotary Youth Program). As she took CVCC classes and attended Roteract meetings in town, she not only created a strong network of ambitious leaders; she also developed new levels of self-confidence.
Whether on or off campus, she felt empowered at CVCC. She knew she was not just another number, and she wanted to make sure that other students around her felt the same way. So, using her experience as President of the Roteract Club, Heather also spent the next two years serving on CVCC’s Student Government Association as SGA Treasurer and Parliamentarian. She also took part in the Civics Engagement Committee, a club which focused on multicultural events and additional resources that would be of great benefit to students. Her active participation led to discussions with CVCC President, Dr. Garrett Hinshaw, about the best ways to approach student involvement, student activities, and college budgets.
“Who else has the opportunity to sit down and have a discussion with Dr. Hinshaw multiple times throughout the year?” Heather shares. “Who has that? I did…and got a glimpse into seeing how hard that school [CVCC] works to make their students happy. People try to frown upon you going to a community college versus a 4-year university,” she says, “but for me, I think it’s a positive experience. Not only are you saving so much money in the long run, but you really get to figure out what works for you.”
It was through this campus involvement that Heather learned about CVCC’s Southwest Adventure Trip, a free experience run through the college and supported in part by generous CVCC Foundation donors. In order to earn qualifying degree credits through Southwest Adventure, Heather had to take on extra classes—meaning she enrolled in 24 credit hours in one semester. While this would sound unrealistic to most, Heather gladly accepted the semester’s challenges and used each course to find a new level of inspiration.
During that time, joined by classmates and instructors, Heather got to leave Hickory and travel across the country on the Southwest Adventure. She explored states such as Utah, Colorado, or Arizona, and went hiking in national parks like the Grand Canyon.
This trip was one of Heather’s most memorable experiences from undergrad. She met new people. She surrounded herself by stunning nature. And, even after the trip was over, she used her momentum to achieve academic success and put her scholarship to good use. “I always say I thrive in chaos,” she says.
“This [scholarship] was a very fun and unique experience for me, giving me leadership qualities that I probably never would have been involved with. Because I was a recipient of a CVCC Scholarship—and I’m still very grateful for the donors who provided that scholarship for me—I graduated debt-free.”
The impact of her CVCC experience rolled out into her adulthood, where she continued to be an active member of clubs in her 4-year university and took on a job that led to her current career. Heather does not live or work in Hickory anymore, but that does not mean she is disconnected from the Catawba Valley community.
This year, Heather became involved with “Art Of Compassion”, a local movement which promotes acts of kindness among the people, places, and organizations that make up the City of Hickory and Catawba County. The “Art of Compassion” team is excited to move the initiative forward, continuing to plan philanthropic and inspirational events throughout the year. As a team member for “Art of Compassion”, Heather has had the chance to return to Hickory on several occasions, reconnecting with the people she knew growing up.
By fostering connections and nurturing those relationships, Heather was able to make the best of her time at CVCC and afterwards, using every situation to gain new skills, meet new people, and lead her community forward.
Everyone has a starting point. You can choose to get lost in the unknown, or you can dive into your weaknesses and learn how to turn them into strength. And always know, your path may look different from what you planned—but your hard work will surely be rewarded.
Whether back home or afar, Heather readily embraces her own “acts of kindness” by sharing a simple, encouraging message: Whether your skills are academic or based in other areas, know that you will provide such a great asset to somebody, somewhere. CVCC offers a great opportunity to make that happen.”
“That’s why I love CVCC,” she says. “I’m here to support the college until the day I die. I love it.”
https://issuu.com/catawbavalleycc/docs/cvccmagazine_fa23_issuutemp/s/38494327
