4 minute read
Laker Alumni Find Success at Lake Land College
Lake Land College Vice President for Student Services Valerie Lynch and Vice President for Academic Services Ikemefuna Nwosu are both proud Lake Land College alumni as well as enthusiastic employees. Both shared how their Lake Land College experiences helped them develop in their roles and careers within and beyond the college.
“Lake Land really showed me what I would want to give to students in the future in terms of support and connection,” Lynch said. “I have been a student at three institutions other than Lake Land, and I can say that the level of genuine care and comfort I felt during my time as a Lake Land student topped the charts.”
Not only was Lynch a first-generation college student, she had a child to care for and no reliable transportation when she began her Lake Land journey. The first day of Lynch’s college career may have fallen short of what she had hoped, but she was able to persevere through her first day challenges to find success.
“I walked into my very first class and tripped over a cord,” Lynch said. “My books went everywhere, and I was mortified. I just collected them and left the class thinking ‘I don’t belong here.’ I was ready to leave, but my dad talked me out of it. I am so glad because I ended up loving Lake Land.”
Lynch would go on to take classes at any times or places she was able, spending weekends, evenings and summers completing her degree and even participating in one of the earliest online classes.
“I graduated at the same time as my peers and went right on to a university,” Lynch said. “If I didn’t have the support system that I did, I likely would not have finished.”
Nwosu expressed a similar sentiment, saying Lake Land was a “springboard” that challenged him to greaterheights. A welcoming spirit was the most prominent aspect Nwosu experienced as a student, and he said his goal is to give back to his students in the same way.
“When my students walk into my classroom, my first priority is to make them feel welcome,” Nwosu said. “My transition from Zambia to here was a huge challenge. I was able to assimilate, but I still had a lot of other challenges, including finances. I remember how I would walk through Walmart at 10 p.m. just to dream of things I couldn’t afford.” Nwosu was involved in several activities and groups, such as Student Government Association and tutoring. Upon nearing completion of his time at Lake Land, Nwosu asked faculty members for suggestions on how to proceed, eventually leading to his pursuit of a master’s degree.
“I remember thinking ‘Man, this is heaven,’” Nwosu said. “I had been to other universities, but from the beginning at Lake Land there was a world of difference. It’s just a very different culture.”
As a person of color, Nwosu said he was also deeply appreciative of being made to feel supported, safe and comfortable during his time on campus.
“As a black male in 2002, I always felt I was an ambassador in my role,” Nwosu said. “But even when I first came to Lake Land I felt very safe, respected and heard. Because I was related to that way, I feel it is important for us to continue to think about how we all relate to one another as human beings.”
Having overcome several barriers as well, Lynch said she has never been made to feel any less than empowered in her position at Lake Land.
“I was not expecting to be in this role at this point,” Lynch said. “As a young mom, a first generation student, a woman…I started out with a lot of barriers, and Lake Land taught me that it doesn’t matter. Every time you break down a barrier to success it becomes easier, and the people who supported me during my time at Lake Land and beyond helped me to stay motivated and have confidence.”
