Program aimed to aid women
by Alli Adams, Reporter

    A long-standing South Campus program, now on three campuses, will soon expand to the fourth.
    Women In New Roles, currently located on South, SE and NE campuses, assists women returning to college.
    Founded by Emily Lunday Garrett, WIN-R is in its 26th year at TCC.
    Garrett began the program in 1978 to help women build confidence and career skills while receiving their education.
   Triesha Light, counselor and associate professor of psychology, inherited the program when Garrett retired in 1988.
    Light, WIN-R coordinator, believes that education will build confidence in women and is the key to a successful career.
   "Education empowers them to take control of their future.
    Education is the one thing no one can take away from you," she said.
    Since its beginning, WIN-R has helped more than 2,500 female students whose ages range from 17 to 78.
   Women who take the program and complete it successfully receive six college credit hours.
   The program is set up through two classes, Psychology 1301 and 2302.
   Students must enroll in both.
   Students learn communication skills, resume writing, interview preparation and other qualities needed by the career woman.
   Confidence is a result of these learned skills.
   "The class taught me valuable information about interviewing and career preparation," Leticia Lopez, former student, said.
   WIN-R offers several seminars throughout the semester.
   Speakers tell students how to balance multiple roles, how to achieve financial success and how to deal with stress, among many other things.
    Seminars are open to the general student population. Students in need receive a chance to earn scholarships or receive funding.
    The Frances Schuessler Scholarship is for students working toward a humanities or fine arts degree.
    The award was established in 2002 after the death of Frances Schuessler, associate professor of music on the South Campus.
    Another scholarship, the Liliane Bailey WIN-R Scholarship, was established in 1994.
    A former WIN-R student, Bailey credited the program with helping her develop a successful career. This scholarship is granted to a student in financial need.
    The Panda Fund, another form of financial assistance, provides students with textbooks for the WIN-R course.
    A mentor program for WIN-R matches new students with mentors. The program's new students will have a person to help with academics and personal affairs while completing the program.
    Garrett noticed the increasing number of women returning to school during a period when women began to realize the importance of an education and career.
    The victim of divorce, Garrett picked up her life and became the director of publications on the NW Campus.
    Garrett said her husband traded her in for a "younger model," a situation familiar to many.
    While teaching human relations, she noticed the lack of confidence and direction her female students suffered.
    Seeing a need, she filled it, and that need will soon be met on all TCC campuses.
    Light said WIN-R will arrive on NW Campus next semester.
    "Expansion of WIN-R classes to NW is thrilling for students needing this placement option," she said.
    The name WIN-R, however, is new to two of the campuses this semester.
    Previously, the program was called New Horizons on SE and New Beginnings on NE.
    Light said LuAnn Krey in career and placement services and Sandra McCurdy in the library helped build interest for the NW program.
   Campus coordinators include Anita Peters, NE; Carol Hunsberger, NW; Dr. Marisa Garcia-Luna, SE, and Light, South.
   To develop a community among its students, WIN-R provides a chat room online through the South Campus Web site to connect the students from all campuses.
   Participants agree that WIN-R has changed them in some way.
    "I hope the program is active for many years to come so that other women like myself will be helped," student Karen Russell said.
   Former student Ashley Geeslin, said, "This class has been a blessing to me!"
   Speaking for all coordinators, Light discussed advantages of expanding the group to all campuses.
   "We are all working together for student success in our TCC learning community," she said.
   For more information, contact Light at 817-515-4740 or visit the Web site at www.tccd.edu/WIN-R.