South program recognizes 25 years of service, successes
by Mary Barrera, south news editor

    Two hundred banquet attendees honored the founder of the TCC program that assists women in the transition of returning to school.

   Emily Lunday Garrett was an honored guest at the Women In New Roles (WIN-R) 25th anniversary banquet. Triesha Light, program coordinator, presented her with the Eagle Achievement Award.

   Lunday Garrett saw the need to develop the WIN-R program in the 1970s with the dawn of the trophy-wife era.

   “Women were forced into new roles (through divorce), and we tried to help them work in their new roles personally, educationally and professionally,” she said.

   Women are relieved of stress through getting together, tending and caring, Lunday Garrett said.

   “WIN-R gives you the determination, courage and perseverance it takes to reach your goals,” she said.

   Lunday Garrett spoke of the continuation of the program and the development of New Horizons on SE Campus this semester and New Beginnings on NE Campus in the spring.

   “The principles that we hope to teach will be taught by many,” she said.

   The program will continue because there will always be a need, Lunday Garrett said.

   “Emily is dynamic, brilliant and gifted,” Dr. Judith Carrier, SE Campus president, said.

   According to Carrier, Lunday Garrett earned a bachelor’s degree and two master’s degrees before going into real estate just to keep herself busy.

   “She is a woman who had maximized her life, and that is what was needed to develop a program like this,” she said.

   Dr. Leonardo de la Garza, TCC chancellor, recognized the program’s benefits.

   “WIN-R is truly one of TCC’s success stories. There is no finer example of helping students than the WIN-R program,” he said.

   It teaches women to use their innate abilities to take charge of their lives and their careers, de la Garza said.

   Anita Peters, New Beginnings coordinator, said when she went back to school, she enrolled in a program similar to WIN-R.

   “I never would have thought I would get a bachelor’s degree, let alone a graduate degree,” she said.

   “When I walked across the stage at graduation, I thought it would be neat to teach in a program like this one day,” she said.

Current WIN-R student Sharon Donald attended TCC South Campus in 1973 and quit school in 1975. Her two children are grown, one attending Prairie View A&M and one married.

   “The house is empty, so I decided to go back to school,” she said, “I decided to try WIN-R, and I love it.”

   Kay Casey, executive director of development for TCC, spoke about raising more scholarship funds for WIN-R students and TCC students. The foundation received $25,000 from the Polis Family Foundation for WIN-R, New Horizons and New Beginnings.

   WIN-R program graduates, including vocalists Alynda Bonham, Marcie McGee and Laveria Bogan, provided entertainment for the banquet. Yvonne Redlefs played the piano, Cindy Curry performed sign interpretation, and Alice Eldridge recited poetry.

   “Each day you learn things about yourself that you never knew before,” Eldridge said.

   Lunday Garrett commented on the honors of the evening.

   “I have never felt wealthier than I do tonight,” she said.

   For information on New Horizons on SE Campus, call 817-515-3578, and for New Beginnings on NE Campus, call 817-515-6985. For information on WIN-R on South Campus, call 817-515-4740 or visit on the Web at www.tccd.net/win-r.