Before taking part in the H.Y.P.E program at Centennial College, post-secondary education seemed before my reach and therefore, a lost cause. After narrowly completing high school, post-secondary education didn't appear to be an option for me due to my poor grade and financial dilemma.
Tuition costs were one of my biggest concerns when contemplating whether or not to continue my education but I also faced many personal obstacles and barriers. In addition, I had very little guidance and was unaware of the resources available to assist me so I decided to take a year off and join the workforce.
During that year of working I found myself living paycheque-to-paycheque and struggling to make ends meet. I had worked diligently for several months and had almost nothing to show for it. I realized that in order to receive the salary essential to achieve self-actualization, I first needed to invest in myself. I had little transferable skills to offer employers and was not of much value to most companies, which meant that I would have to improve my skills. With that in mind, I decided that perhaps by putting my education on hold I actually hindered the prosperity I had originally set out for.
As I entered the H.Y.P.E program at age 19, I was more than slightly nervous. It had been several months since I last set foot in a classroom and I wasn't quite sure that I was prepared. I was quickly relieved to find that I was not alone and was not the only one worried about going back to school. Many of my classmates had almost identical feelings toward returning to the classroom due to the fact that several of them had also taken a year off from school.
Luckily for my classmates and me, we had very supportive professors who not only comforted us, but also made every attempt to reassure us in our times of doubt. In the beginning, I personally had little confidence and was not certain I could complete the program but with the help of our class mentors, it was quite easy to imagine ourselves pursuing full-time studies because we all felt we could identify with them. We recognized that we were not so different from our mentors who had just completed their second semester at Centennial. This was perhaps the most empowering and inspirational thing I experienced though taking the program. I was amazed to see people who came from a similar background as I had excelling in both school and in life. I had never been exposed to such successful positive role models in the past.
I think the program itself was very well structured, informative and fun. The H.Y.P.E program was unlike any other program or course I had ever taken and I greatly enjoyed it. I was enrolled in the Business and Entrepreneurship program and it was an excellent overview of Centennial College's Business program for full-time studies. I sincerely believe I gained a lot of experience and new knowledge from the course. Without taking the six-week introductory course I am not sure if I would have been willing to enrol into full-time studies.
I am proud to say that I am now 20 years of age and not only did I complete the H.Y.P.E program but I also began full-time studies the following September. With the help of the staff and a bursary $2,500 I was able to pursue my post-secondary education with confidence. I have recently completed my second semester at Centennial College and am halfway to completing my two-year Business program.
In conclusion, I believe that had it not been for the overwhelming support and assistance I received through the program I would have never pursued post-secondary education. To this day, I am grateful for the classmates, professors, mentors and other staff who guided me from the six-week program all the way through my second semester of full-time studies. They have all showed a genuine desire to see me succeed, which has motivated me to perform to the best of my ability. After experiencing how significant they were to myself as well as my classmates in the program, I have decided to return this year as a mentor. I highly recommend the H.Y.P.E program for anyone who doubts his or her ability to pursue any level of education. H.Y.P.E. has made me feel welcome in the college community and helped me overcome many of the barriers that had prevented me from going to college. I truly believe it can help others do the same.
Thank you,
Dustin Parchment