Page 9 - 2016-2017 LWTech Student Handbook

“I recommend LWTech whenever anyone
asks me what they should do about college.
Vet-
friendly
it is. Just knowing
that we have someone we can
go to or multiple people we can go to get support, and it’s good support – I just love it.”
It’s a great place to go if you want to get a degree in anything, because the
Natalie Weberg is no stranger to hard work. As a child, her parents moved almost every year, and she found herself going from school to school, working to establish herself each time with new friends, new neighborhoods, and
new surroundings. After high school, she worked as a deli manager, often taking graveyard shifts to make extra money.
“I realized that this was my peak. I didn’t really see myself going higher, and I didn’t want to do that
forever. One day I just took a leap of faith and decided to go to school,” she said.
“I’m confident that I’m going
into the industry knowing that I have these people
choices are endless!” –Theo Alexander
That
leap, and her
strong work ethic, brought
her to LWTech. While she was a
student in the Auto Body Technician program,
Weberg worked two jobs to support herself. “Paying tuition was probably the biggest challenge. I had to get student loans just to get tools and pay my way through all of this, because I was living paycheck to paycheck,” she added.
After finding scholarship opportunities on the Foundation webpage, she applied for Foundation scholarships and was awarded several from the Washington State Hot
Rod Hall of Fame, Porsche Club of America Pacific NW Region, RPM Foundation, and Blair’s Promise: A Second Chance Scholarship in Memory of Blair Bonine. “These scholarships made a huge difference! They have helped with everything from tools to tuition, which freed up enough of my paycheck to put a roof over my head and food on the table,” said Weberg.
“Overall, the Auto Body program has given me a clear direction for my career,” said Weberg. “All the contacts
that I’ve made through the program, whether through
the scholarships, guest presentations, or people I was introduced to by the professors... there’s lots of networking opportunities. I’m confident that I’m going into the industry knowing that I have these people to back me up.”
“The
projects
anything, because the choices are endless,” he added.
to back me up.” –Natalie Weberg
Born
and raised
in Western Washington,
Theo Alexander describes
his decision to come to LWTech as, “the
obvious choice because of how close the school was
to my house.” But Alexander didn’t always reside so close to the college. Drafted out of high school by the Los Angeles Dodgers, Alexander played professional baseball for three years before returning to his hometown and enrolling in LWTech’s Accounting program.
While earning his AAS degree, Alexander also completed three certificates of proficiency in Accounting, all while maintaining a high GPA. His success continued when he received the Tjossem Family Endowed Scholarship through the Foundation, which helped him cover his tuition and textbook expenses. “Receiving this scholarship removed some of my financial stress and allowed me to focus even more on school,” he said.
In addition to receiving the scholarship through the Foundation, Alexander also contributes his success to the instructors. “The teachers were my favorite part of the school, because they were so focused on the students. They responded to emails promptly and answered questions thoroughly so I could really understand what was being studied,” he said. “They were there to help me and genuinely care,” he added.
After graduating in June 2016, Alexander landed a job
as an Accounting Assistant for the Boys and Girls Club of Bellevue. His aspirations don’t stop there. He is working towards his Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, and hopes to someday become a CPA.
“My experience at LWTech has been a positive one. I recommend LWTech whenever anyone asks me what they
should do about college. It’s a great place to go to school if you want to get a degree in
and the labs really help
you understand the concepts.” –Greg Wooldridge
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