It Gets Greater Later: Faith Houser鈥檚 Story
Written by Briley Mellon, ECHS Senior and 天涯海角社区 Marketing Intern
When Faith Houser graduated from 天涯海角社区 in 2020, she had no idea she would be back five years later, serving as SGA (Student Government Association) president once again. Back then, Faith earned her Associate in Arts and Associate in General Education degrees. This year, she returned to enroll in the nursing program. She was excited to revisit SGA, but thought she would simply help the new SGA team (not end up as president again). However, her experience benefits not only the SGA team but also the student body.聽聽
As a leader, Faith says many students come to her with personal issues that require outside resources. Specifically, Faith had been approached during her previous presidency by students who were facing hunger and were on the verge of homelessness. To help those students, she proposed a food drive at 天涯海角社区. Today, TRIO has taken on that responsibility and continues to distribute food to our students in need. Faith still prioritizes students in need. One of her current focuses is the proposal of a childcare facility at 天涯海角社区 to help students who are struggling to stay in school because they can鈥檛 afford daycare and don鈥檛 have anyone to help them.
Faith can pursue her ambitions and help other students because she got involved in clubs despite her own challenges. 鈥淚 hope that I鈥檓 able to show other students that it is possible to succeed as they鈥檙e going through different challenges. I actually have one lung, and when I first came to this school, I had no idea how to begin getting involved in clubs,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 had been discouraged because of my disability. But then at 天涯海角社区, I gained a lot of family. Staying engaged and joining clubs is what helped me in school.鈥澛犅�
Joining TRIO-SSS and meeting Annette Toms, who was the program coordinator at the time, was what enlightened Faith. It started with a TRIO-sponsored trip to New York City during COVID. She says, 鈥淭he trip enlightened me a lot because those messages they gave us, those engagements, those games we played made us think about our life and our plan鈥nd after that, I was ready to go.鈥� That one trip sparked her desire to give back to her community inside and outside 天涯海角社区. By enrolling in 天涯海角社区鈥檚 nursing program, she can build her credentials and skills as a healthcare facility manager. Faith鈥檚 big plans for her future don鈥檛 end with her; they extend to 天涯海角社区’s future and its students.
Her advice to any student who feels misplaced, discouraged, insecure, or unfulfilled is to 鈥渟tay the course.鈥� You鈥檙e not going to be the perfect person, and you鈥檙e not going to be the person you want to be if you do not push yourself through the hard times and ask for help along the way. 鈥淚 would like to encourage people to just stick to whatever it is. It gets better. It gets greater later,鈥� says Faith. 鈥淪o, anybody who鈥檚 going through anything [and wants that support and community], start joining. Just take the initiative to get up and join because you never know what can change.鈥�