Alumni & Donor Spotlight

When the pandemic began in 2020, and the economy was hit hard, Maine designer David Stensland began looking for new opportunities.

“Coming to Century College was an easy decision. I knew from other paramedics that Century had the best program in the state, and one of the only ones.”

Kat Larson, Century College’s 2022 Outstanding Student in Interior Design, knows that hard work, keeping one’s options open, and making professional connections can lead to a dream job.

As a teen, Century College alum Patrick Frost was always using a camcorder or camera to capture the world around him, but didn’t realize he could have a career doing what he loved.

After high school, Alec Ly didn’t want to go to college; however, his cousin, who was employed at Century College, convinced Alec to give it a try. Initially, he wondered if attending college was the right decision. At Century, Alec’s experiences both inside and outside the classroom enhanced his public speaking, critical thinking, and leadership skills.

Pao Thao chose Century College for three reasons: he wanted to save money, the College was close to home, and he knew that Century has a reputation for excellence in education.

Josh Englert was in the beginning of his college career, taking his general educational requirements at a local community college, when his video business began to take off. He had always been interested in creating videos, and had taught himself how to create music and sports videos, from an early age. He studied how the videos were done and eventually found his own distinctive style.

Century College alum Patrick Miller can see the coming changes in the fast-paced computer industry, and he wants to have a role in it. “I’m an enthusiast for computer hardware engineering systems, and I want to design hardware. I want to be the bridge between computer science and engineering,” Patrick says.

Like many young people, Sam Naidicz started college right after high school—before he was ready. “I was going to Century College in 2015-16, and dropped out,” Sam remembers. “I just wasn’t ready to give it my full effort. And, before that, I hadn’t enjoyed my high school years at all.”

As an adult learner, David Stewart already had a lot of life experience when he came to Century. A 20-year Navy vet who served during two wars (the First and Second Gulf Wars), David had also worked in law enforcement.

Wivine Gicaniro knows what it’s like to start over in a new place, far from home, friends and family, and navigate a new life in a second language.

The Century College Alumni Nominated by a fellow classmate at Lakewood Community College, Dr. Greg Eastlund, Mindy Johnson was already a leader in Dr. John Zdechlik’s band classes, and on campus. He remembers her as a talented multi-instrumentalist, playing trombone, tuba, and harp.

When alum Andy Chisholm was looking at colleges, he knew he wasn’t ready to commit to a four-year program. He and his dad did research on what Century College’s Additive and Digital Manufacturing program had to offer, and Andy liked what he saw. “Century College has reasonable tuition, access to knowledge, and machinery,” he notes. “Century seemed like the right fit for me.”

Dawn Dana was working as a Psychology Associate on a Traumatic Brain Injury Unit at a hospital, when, after a particularly difficult night, she knew she needed to make a career change. She already had a degree in psychology and business, but was unsure of her next move.

When Ashley Lundgren was looking for a new direction in her education, her mother suggested that she try Century College. Her mother and siblings had taken classes at the College, so Ashley knew it would be a good choice. A major in Interior Design turned out to be the perfect decision for her.

In 2013, Marco Rebollar was looking for something new in his life and career, when a friend pushed him to take the placement test at Century College. He hadn’t been to college before, and had been working at a car dealership, unsure of his next direction. After completing the placement test, he soon signed up for classes.

Century College alum Anthony Iovinella’s educational journey took him from PSEO to EMT training to Biology, Chemistry, Art, and to NASA workforce development programs. He started at Century as a Post Secondary Enrollment Options (PSEO) student, taking art classes, while still in high school.

Arthur Seeb came to Century College in a roundabout way. After finishing the first semester of his freshman year at University of Nebraska, Lincoln, he returned to Minnesota, following a sports injury. (He had a broken wrist that wasn’t healing properly.)

Alum Georgia Reding has always loved theatre. She’s been involved in community theatre productions throughout middle and high school, so it was natural that she came to Century College to pursue her studies and continue her acting career. “I loved the AFA transfer pathway—seemed like a cool option,” Georgia says.

Alumna Gao Thao shares her story:

Which college did you attend? Century

Area of study: Enterprise Computing Technology

 

How are you helping transform the lives of others?

Working at St. John’s Hospital (M Health Fairview) in Maplewood, Century College alum Trevor Blaine is on the front lines of the pandemic, where staff are rapidly adjusting to meet the needs of this public health crisis. Like most emergency room nurses, Trevor is cool and calm under pressure. He’s been well-prepared for a long time.

Century College alum Ken Maciej has always enjoyed helping others. While earning a BS in Environmental Science at a four-year university, Ken was also working in a group care home, and found satisfaction in the care-taking side of his work.

Alum Rachel Miller already had many of the qualities she needed to get her Paramedic training when she enrolled at Century College. She is calm, resilient, flexible, and adapts easily to change.

Engineering alum Shawn Bluhm has a passion for building devices and for finding the next million-dollar idea. His education at Century College provided the key to channeling his creativity into learning about all aspects of business.