Far away from home, I found a college family at LCCC

I didn’t know that going to college would take me out of South Dakota. But when I couldn’t find the program I wanted in my home state, Wyoming came into play.

I’ve wanted to work in health care ever since one of my family members was in a car accident. I watched them go through recovery, and it changed everything for me. The hospital back home on the reservation didn’t have any physical therapists, and because of that, they never fully got their mobility back. Seeing that made me realize how important physical therapy is, and how much it’s needed in every community.

After high school in Rapid City, I started searching for colleges with a physical therapy program. I looked at Black Hills State University in Spearfish first, but they didn’t offer what I needed. I found out, however, that Laramie County Community College in Cheyenne, Wyoming, did. 

I didn’t know a lot about Cheyenne, but I decided I wanted to take a campus tour. A student ambassador gave me a one-on-one tour where I could ask all of the questions I had. They took me through the Clay Pathfinder Building and a few other spots, and everything felt calm and welcoming. I could actually picture myself here.

LCCC looked great, and I was ready to go, but sometimes things don’t go as planned. 

Just before I was supposed to start during the fall semester, my mom got sick, and I had to stay home for a semester. I worried that would throw off my plans; that it would be difficult to get back on track with college. But everyone at LCCC worked with me so I could stay on track to finish my education when I’d hoped to. My Student Success Coach helped me figure 

out my schedule, told me about people on campus who can help with mental health and tutoring, and explained how flexible my classes could be. I could take some online, stay home when I needed to help my family, or come to campus for one or two classes and be part of student life.

While I wanted to earn a degree, I admit I was worried about getting into debt. I am saving a lot of money going to college at LCCC because they have the Edge @ LCCC, which lets me pay in-state tuition, even though I’m from South Dakota.  

That flexibility and low cost are what made college possible for me.

Now that I’ve settled in, I’ve found my favorite spot on campus — Café 1968. It’s quiet most of the time, with soft music and comfy chairs, and it’s where I go to study or just slow down between classes. College can feel fast-paced, but having a space like that helps me stay grounded.

Leaving South Dakota to start college in Wyoming wasn’t the plan, but it turned out to be the best decision I could have made. The people here care, they listen, and they make sure you have what you need to succeed.