Posted on Thu, Nov. 22, 2007

30 years of providing help for lives in transition
By JOHN AUSTIN,
jaustin@star-telegram.com
Fort Worth Star-Telegram Staff Writer

First wives who've been dumped for trophy spouses. Widows. Single mothers with no job and few marketable skills.

They all needed help, and for more than 4,000 of them, Tarrant County College's Women in New Roles program has offered a lifeline.

The program, which began in 1978, is celebrating its 30th anniversary.

"I wanted to go back to school. I was married with six children," said Pamela McCloud, 47, of Fort Worth. "I found out about Women in New Roles. When I got in there, I thought, 'Oh my God! It's like a journey. I'm discovering who I am. I bet it'd be equal to about six years of psychological therapy.'"

The nontraditional credit program is designed to help those in transition return to school. The curriculum includes testing, advisement, career placement, networking and group mentoring. Three questions are at the heart of the program: Where have I been? Where am I now? Where am I going?

Students in the program enroll in two psychology classes simultaneously to help find answers: human relations and applied psychology. The courses are designed to help students find direction, confirm a career choice, give confidence, communicate better and develop leadership skills.

"We have a history, and we're proud of it," program coordinator Triesha Light said. "We'll even admit someone without a GED or high school diploma. We just need 16 weeks to change people's lives.

"Our classes are not traditional classes, and that's why they work. We get students out of their comfort zones."

Light is at the South Campus, but TCC's Southeast and Northeast campuses offer the same curriculum.

Improving lives

McCloud is enrolled in the program this semester. She baby-sits children in her apartment but wants to earn the certification needed to operate a day-care center. The mother of a deaf child, she is also interested in improving her sign-language skills.

"I like to interpret songs for her," McCloud said. "I'm going to be a sign language interpreter."

Thanks to Women in New Roles, Kathryn Marsh has already made her move.

"Instead of buying a Corvette at 50, I went back to college," Marsh said. She had a two-year degree but had lost her nursing job for the second time when she decided to return to college and add a bachelor's of science degree in nursing to her résumé. "It has really changed my life. I think Triesha's class was the very beginning."

After completing her baccalaureate, she went on to earn a master's degree in nursing and became a family nurse practitioner.

"They heard I was looking for a position and snapped me up in a second," Marsh said. "One year I will probably be teaching in a college like TCC."

Students have ranged in age from 17 to 82.

In addition to the curriculum, students can showcase their own works in an art exhibition and participate in health forums and a leadership forum.

"I'm very passionate about this program," Light said. "My focus has always been on the individual. If you can change one person, then it was worth it."

About 25 men have participated over the years.

"Occasionally men want to enroll," Light said. "Sometimes, they need job skills. We don't discriminate.

"Our classes are real popular. I tell students they need to enroll early."

Women in New Roles

Tarrant County College has offered the for-credit academic program since 1978. It began in response to the increased number of women returning to school. Courses include human relations psychology and applied psychology.

TCC spring-semester classes are scheduled to begin Jan. 14.

For more information, call 817-515-4740or go to www.tccd.edu