May 26, 2022- Dr. Juanita Morris, host of Thee Morris Code & coordinator of the Jerry J. Dawson Civic Leadership Institute, spoke with Holly Rose Triana, who is the DCLI’s first Richland Community College Scholar graduate.
Triana is a teacher’s assistant at Hope Academy, and just completed her first year as a TA. Triana had enrolled at Richland, after graduating from high school. After attending Richland for a little over a year, she decided to take a break. She re-enrolled at Richland five years later.
“This was a huge accomplishment for me to finish and to know that this is where I am supposed to be, this is where I want to be, and I am excited to finish my goal in becoming a teacher,” Triana said.
In May, Triana and Dr. Morris’s paths crossed, leading to Triana interning with the Institute. Upon completing her internship, she was hired by Hope Academy. While working full-time as a TA in special education at Hope Academy, Triana attended online classes to finish up her degree at Richland. She admits it was hard to balance everything, but because she was working in the field in which her degree was for, she was able to persevere.
“It does help to be in the same setting that you are working towards that goal, because it reminds you why you are there,” Triana said. “It reminds you why you are taking those classes, why you are pursuing that goal. To be surrounded by my kids everyday, kind of helped me to keep going, and to do that.”
Below is the full interview with Holly Rose Triana.
