I went back to college at age 55 after retiring from a 25 year career in public safety. I was challenged with bullying and harassment resulting in stress related PTSD and Anxiety from the job. My depression increased when I saw how little my pension checks were compared to my paychecks while I was working. My son was annoyed that I would mope around all day and some days not get out of my pajamas, so he suggested I go back to school and finish my AA that I first began in 1989. It wasn’t until then that I realized, I’m young enough to build a new career! I can do something different, something that I enjoy and take pride in, and have a purpose to get up everyday! I told the counselor I wanted to major in Communications with a specialty in media. I want to be a broadcaster. Building a whole new career was going to be challenging for someone that hasn’t attended Junior College in over 25 years, but I was willing to work hard. I took a full load my first 2 semesters back and graduated in May. (Alongside my 80 year old mother, who realized at the same time she was only a couple classes shy of her AA!) I’ve been accepted to San Diego State Global campus and start this fall. I know State College isn’t going to be easy, but I’m hoping to create a better life for my family once I graduate and hopefully can find employment in my field. Over my public safety career, I volunteered myself many times to the community. Most importantly with a program in Manteca, California called Every 15 minutes. It’s a program for high schoolers funded by the Department of Transportation to teach the dangers of driving or getting into a car with someone who is under the influence of drugs or alcohol. I participated close to 15 years in that program because I’m very passionate about not drinking and driving. I preach to my kids the same words my parents preached to me; “call me, no matter what time!” Media is a great platform to share this program. Now, I see myself advocating for higher education and I’m hoping a career in media will give me that platform to express that it’s never too late. I had the opportunity to be interviewed on live television a couple of months ago where I quoted my famous line; “Education has no expiration!” If I can inspire more people through my platform to go back to college, I will have been successful! I hope you’ll consider me for this scholarship, it would immensely help with college expenses that I have to pay for.

I also share my birthday on June 14th. Flag Day. Bryent's kindness, and caring for others probably came naturally being a Gemini. I try to preach kindness to my family and kids. Through my experiences with service-related PTSD, I have learned that trauma does not have a "look." Many individuals suffering from PTSD continue to work, care for their families, and appear "fine" on the outside while silently struggling internally. My knowledge of PTSD comes not only from supporting my husband, Paul, a military veteran with service-connected PTSD, but also from my own experiences working in public safety as a 911 dispatcher for 25 years. For many years, both of us dedicated our lives to serving others. Paul served in the military before continuing his career in law enforcement, while I worked as a first responder answering emergency calls from people experiencing some of the worst moments of their lives. We were trained to stay calm under pressure and to keep moving forward regardless of stress or emotional exhaustion or bullying. However, over time, the effects of repeated trauma began to follow us home. Paul's nightmares became violent and he would wake me up with his screaming and flailing his arms. We started our careers at a time when you didn't talk about emotional calls, you locked it up inside, and some turn to the bottle for comfort. It took me several years to convince him to seek help. Living with PTSD taught me that trauma affects not only the individual suffering, but also the people who love and support them. There were times when anxiety, depression, and emotional exhaustion created challenges in our daily lives. I learned that healing is not a walk in the park and that recovery requires patience, understanding, and support. I also learned how important it is to remove the stigma surrounding mental health, especially within military and first responder communities where many people feel pressure to appear strong at all times and keep it locked deep inside. One of the biggest lessons I have learned is the importance of connection. After retiring from public safety, I struggled with anxiety, depression, and a loss of identity. One day my son, also an Air Force vet, called and told us we need to get out of the house, try going back to school. Returning to school later in life helped me rediscover confidence and motivation. Education has given me a renewed sense of purpose and reminded me that healing and growth are always possible, even after difficult experiences. I'm very open about my mental health challenges and advocate for others that are struggling, not to be ashamed to ask for help. I even discussed my mental health challenges during my retirement speech. Asking for help is not a weakness. Too many veterans suffer in silence because they fear judgement or believe nobody will understand what they are experiencing. I hope to continue to advocate for mental health awareness by encouraging open conversations about PTSD and emotional wellness within my community. Whether through school, volunteer work, peer support, or simply listening without judgment, I want to be part of an environment where veterans and first responders feel safe seeking support. Although PTSD has brought many challenges into our lives, it has also taught me resilience, empathy, and the importance of supporting others through their struggles. I will say an extra pray for Bryent on our birthday.

I started my college journey in 1989 after graduating high school. I was working full time and didn't complete my general education. It was more important to me to work full time and support my then husband who was attending Sacramento State University for his Bachelor's. Not long before he graduated, I gave birth to our first child. Thus I put higher education on another hold. My focus was directed on being a parent that was present as much as possible while still working full time for the benefits. During this time, I began working at the Stockton Fire Department and this became my career job. We worked 24 hour shifts throughout my 25 years employed at the City of Stockton. School became a distant memory as I was now focused on my career with now two children. After 18 years as a dispatcher, I promoted to Supervisor. The department started restructuring in 2021 and eliminated some secretarial positions to create new positions in the same field but now requiring degrees. This would be a challenge in the future if I wanted to come back as an annuitant after I was scheduled to retire in a few years. A college level degree would need to be in my resume. In the 911 center, we were always below minimum staffing levels and overtime was mandatory. There was no chance of completing any college courses. Long weeks are very difficult on family, the body and the mind. I began my struggle with mental wellbeing and as a result, retired 6 months early. As the anxiety and PTSD worsened, my son encouraged me and my husband to go back to school and get me out of the house. This was a great stepping stone in my much needed mental health healing. I realized I was actually ready to fulfill my education. I thrived as an adult learner and made Presidents list my first semester back. I credit my husband for not only supporting me by going to school with me, but by understanding that dinner will late when I have a midterm due. Through my husband’s prior military service we became acquainted with the Veterans Resource Center at Delta College. They have been very helpful in directing us through all the resources and answered any questions about college, finance, and included us on any Veterans sponsored events. As I enter University I hope to carry with me kindness and energy that has been be-stilled in me from all the family, friends, Professors and administrators that have supported my journey. I am entering my undergraduate program this Fall and yet still have dependents at home also in college. We never stop raising our children, now we have two of our four children in nursing school.

Mental health is deeply important to me because I know firsthand how silently it can affect every part of a person's life, For many years, I worked in public safety as a 911 dispatcher while my husband, Paul, served as a police officer and prior to that served 14 years in the United States Air Force. Together, we dedicated our lives to helping others during some of their worst moments. While serving our community was meaningful, the emotional toll of being first responders slowly began to affect both of us in ways we did not fully recognize at the time. As a dispatcher, I was often the first voice people heard during emergencies, tragedies, and moments of crisis. Those calls do not simply disappear at the end of a shift. Over time, the stress, anxiety, and emotional weight followed me home. My husband experienced similar struggles through his work in law enforcement. Like many first responders, we were taught to stay strong, keep moving forward, bottle it up, and put everyone else first. However, mental health challenges do not disappear simply because they are ignored. After retirement, I found myself struggling with depression, anxiety, and a loss of identity. For so long, my career had defined my purpose. Without it, I felt disconnected and emotionally exhausted. One of the most important things that helped me begin healing was returning to school later in life. Choosing to pursue my education became more than an academic journey; it became part of my mental health recovery. It gave me structure, motivation, confidence, and a renewed sense of purpose during one of the most difficult seasons of my life. I've been vocal about my struggles with mental health. I gave a speech at my retirement party requesting that everyone not be ashamed to talk about that bad call, or the children you had to remove from homes, don't bottle up your emotions. I advocate for mental health by encouraging honest conversations and reminding others that asking for help is not a weakness. I use any platform I can to preach the importance of mental health. I'm open with my story because I believe vulnerability helps others feel less alone. As a student, I have learned that mental health is just as important as physical health. Students carry invisible burdens every day, including stress, financial pressures, family responsibilities, grief, anxiety, and self doubt. Returning to school at this stage of my life has shown me that healing and growth are always possible. Mental health matters because people matter. No one should feel ashamed for struggling, especially those who have spent their lives helping others. My experiences have taught me the importance of resilience, support, and speaking openly about mental health so that others know they are not alone.

Being a Pacific Islander attending college means carrying the sacrifices, resilience, and dreams of the generations before me. As a Filipino American student, education represents more than personal achievement, it represents opportunity, perseverance, and the ability to honor my family's journey while creating a better future for myself and those around me. My mother immigrated to the United States from the Philippines in 1967, in search of greater opportunities for our family. Like many immigrant parents, she sacrificed comfort, stability and familiarity to build a better life for her children. Watching her work tirelessly as a single mother raising three children, taught me the value of determination and hard work long before I ever stepped into a college classroom. What makes our story more meaningful is that at 55 years old, I made the decision to return to school, only to discover that my 80 year old mother had also decided to finish her Junior College education. This week, we will walk the graduation stage together. That moment represents something much larger than graduation. It represents the idea that education has no expiration. In our Filipino culture, family is the center of everything. We are taught to support one another, to persevere during difficult times, and to uplift future generations through sacrifice and education. Walking beside my mother as graduates is one of the proudest moments of my life because it reflects those values so deeply. Recently, I was selected as the Asian American Pacific Islander student speaker for my colleges AAPI ceremony. During my speech, I shared my mother's story and announced that she would also be graduating at 80 years old. Our story gained attention from a local news station, which invited us to speak live on television about our educational journey. It was so emotional to realize that our experiences resonated with so many people. My sister in law even called me after it aired to tell me that she reapplied to go back and finish her degree. I believe it touched others because our story reflects hope, persistence, and the belief that it is never too late to chase your goals. Being a Pacific Islander student has taught me the importance of representation. Embrace my culture, don't be intimidated by the thoughts of higher education. I had a good career in public safety for 25 years, but I always felt something was missing in my story. After retiring, I realized what that something was, it was my education. Now it's time for me to feed my brain. Receiving this scholarship would not only help support my educational goals, but it also allow me to continue representing my community with pride. I want to use my education to create positive change, inspire others, and honor the sacrifices my family made to give me opportunities that they did not always have themselves. More than anything, this scholarship would be an investment in a story of perseverance, family, and the belief that education has no expiration.

For most of my life, I believed I had already lived my story. After a 25 year career in public safety, I retired thinking I had reached the end of one chapter, only to find myself facing once of the hardest chapters of my life. I struggled with depression and PTSD, related to the job, and for the first time, I felt lost, without purpose, and unsure of who I was outside of the career that had defined me for so long. It was during this time that my son (An Air Force Veteran) encouraged me to return to school. At 55 years old, I made the decision to start over, not because it was something to fill that time, but because I knew I needed to reclaim my voice and my future. So here I am. My life experiences have shaped my values in ways that guide everything I do today. Throughout my career, I was deeply committed to serving my community, including nearly 20 years volunteering with the "Every 15 Minutes" program, which educates students about the consequences of impaired driving. That work reinforced my belief in prevention, education, and the power of reaching people before tragedy occurs. Being part of a military family through my husband's 14 years of service in the Air Force has given me a deep respect for veterans and their families. These experiences have instilled in me a strong sense of responsibility to advocate for others, particularly those who feel overlooked, underserved, or forgotten. Returning to college has not only given me a renewed sense of purpose but has also a renewed sense of career aspirations. As a communications major, I am passionate about using media as a platform to inspire and inform. I want to share stories that matter, especially stories of resilience, second chances, and personal growth. My goal is to use my voice to encourage other adults who may feel it is "too late" to return to school. I want to challenge that belief and replace it with a message of possibility; IT IS NEVER TOO LATE TO PURSUE YOUR GOALS, CREATE A NEW FUTURE, AND REWRITE YOUR STORY! I also plan to continue my commitment to community service by advocating for veterans pursuing higher education and supporting programs that promote education and awareness. Through media, I hope to amplify these causes and promote positive change. This scholarship would play a critical role in helping me achieve these goals by reducing the financial burden of returning to school later in life, allowing me to focus fully on my education and my mission. My journey has taught me that setbacks do not define us, how we respond to them does. Returning to school at this stage in my life is not just about earning a degree; it's about reclaiming my purpose and using my experiences to make a difference. With the support of this scholarship, I will continue to move forward with determination, using my education and my voice to uplift others and prove that it is never too late to begin again.