AALIYAH OBEL-JORGENSEN

My name is Aaliyah Obel-Jorgensen. I grew up with a big family in Lost Hills, California. In 2014, a great change occurred in my life: I became a mother to my beautiful daughter, Cherish. Becoming a mother changed my perspective and pushed me to want more for our lives. My first towards this was becoming a student at Clovis Community College and joining the EOPS and CARE programs. These programs provided unending, personalized support for me while I went to school. I owe it to the EOPS counselors for taking the time necessary to guide me through the numerous classes in order to obtain my degrees. They understood that I was a mother first, and my priorities were tied to my family. EOPS/CARE also made it possible for me to balance my expenses as a single parent trying to make a better future for my daughter. I even began to work for Clovis’ EOPS/CARE program as a student assistant, and there I gained relationships with the staff that have lasted through today. In May, I graduated with honors with an Associate’s Degree in Psychology and another one in Social Sciences. After graduating, I accepted a job with the Fresno County Department of Child Support Services. Currently, I am working while pursuing by Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work. I hope to help others in the future in the same way EOPS/CARE helped me. The scholarship money will help to pay my tuition so I can take another class this term.