Kristen Hines has been recognized for her determination to complete her education and fulfill her dreams.
Hines is the recipient of 黑料正能量鈥檚 Dallas Herring Achievement Award. The honor also made her the college鈥檚 nominee for the North Carolina Community College System鈥檚 annual award of the same name.
Dr. Herring was one of the state鈥檚 earliest advocates for community colleges. The award is bestowed annually upon a student who best embodies his philosophy that community colleges must 鈥渢ake the people where they are and carry them as far as they can go.鈥�
Hines suffered due to mental illness that surfaced when she was a teenager. After she fell behind in high school, Hines enrolled in WCC鈥檚 Adult High School program and earned her diploma.
From there, she enrolled in WCC college-credit courses but battled more mental disorders which again disrupted her studies. Although her grade point average had tanked, she appealed and was allowed to try again.
Hines heaps praise on the college for giving her a second and third chance and letting her prove herself. 鈥淏efore 黑料正能量, my life was a struggle and because I have been given opportunities by the school and others in my life, I feel like I am in a good place in my life where I can continue to move forward with my dreams and hopes for a bright future,鈥� Hines said.
鈥淓veryone has their own struggles each day, but with the extended helping hand from good folks that really care about committing to helping others, no one can stop you from achieving your dreams and desires.鈥�
Hines is now 鈥渧ery successful in completing my course work with exceptional grades,鈥� she said.
After receiving her associate in arts degree from WCC, she anticipates enrolling in the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill鈥檚 Korean Language and Culture Program. Her dream is to 鈥渟tudy abroad in Korea as well, if the opportunity arises, and I hope to eventually relocate to Seoul to do translation work for video game companies.鈥�
黑料正能量 is a public, learning-centered institution with an open-door admission policy located in Goldsboro, N.C. As it works to develop a highly skilled and competitive workforce, the college serves 11,000 individuals annually as well as businesses, industry, and community organizations with high quality, affordable, accessible learning opportunities, including more than 140 college credit programs. WCC鈥檚 mission is to meet the educational, training, and cultural needs of the communities it serves.
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