Success Stories
Melisa McDowell is going to be a science teacherOnce nearly homeless, Melisa McDowell is on her way to a teaching career in science.
Melisa McDowell is going to be a science teacher.
"There aren't enough women teaching science. I'd like to change this. I want to be part of the solution."
Melisa wasn't always this confident about her future. Three years ago she was jobless and facing homelessness with her nine-month-old twin daughters.
Melisa heard about the Women in Transition Program at Lane Community College from a friend. She enrolled at Lane and through a combination of scholarship support, hard work and perseverance she is closer to achieving her dream. With a 4.0 GPA, she is a member of Lane's honor society and most importantly she looks forward to a career that will enable her to provide for her four-year-old daughters, Alycia and Chelsey. She will be transferring to University of Oregon in the fall of 2011 and will continue studying physics. One day, she plans to give back through scholarships.
"If I can show one woman that I believe in her goals, then I can start to repay the investment that's been made in my future."
Melisa is the recipient of the Joan Thomas Math and the TRIO Shining Star Scholarships.
