What is your background?: My family and I have lived in Iowa City for just over 20 years. We moved here in 2004 for my husband’s job and have loved living in Iowa. I have five children – one girl and four boys.
What brought you to Kirkwood and why?: I was a stay at home mom for a lot of years until my youngest was in school, then I worked part-time as a substitute teacher for 12 years. As my youngest got closer to graduating from high school, I started to look around to see what I wanted to do next. I’d always had the dental field in mind as a field to work in someday, explored that option, and decided to start the Kirkwood Dental Assisting program, taking a few classes each semester during 2024 and officially starting the program in 2025
What is your program of study and what interests you about it?: I am a Dental Assisting student. I like the variety available each day with different ages and personalities of patients plus all the different procedures each might need. I’ve also enjoyed learning more about teeth and the mouth than I ever thought about before.
Are you involved in anything else on campus? If so, what and why?: I’m not involved with anything else on campus, although I’ve heard there are a lot of opportunities available. At my stage of life, plus living in Iowa City and my involvement in community elsewhere, I haven’t had time to explore what Kirkwood has to offer outside of classes.
Are you involved in anything off of campus?: I do a lot of volunteering through my church, including helping immigrants and refugees and others in need integrate into our community by helping them find english classes, jobs, housing, public transportation, and navigating the various government bureaucracies. I also help with more short-term projects at different times of the year.
What do you do for fun?: I love DIY projects in my house and yard – building garden beds, scraping popcorn ceilings off, painting, renovating bathrooms, etc. I also enjoy being outdoors – biking when I can, going on walks, and hiking when I visit family in Utah.
Where do you see yourself in five years?: Working in a dental office and perhaps teaching at Kirkwood as an adjunct after I have more dental assisting experience.