Mary House finds resources and encouragement through Kirkwood
–by Natalie Niemeyer, Kirkwood News Service
Recent Kirkwood Community College Graduate Mary House was anxious to walk across the stage to receive her diploma. “My robe is so long, I’m nervous I might fall!” House said.
But, House’s reservations about walking were not enough to take her mind off of the accomplishment she was about to complete. For House, one journey was ending, and another was just beginning.
The journey through college was tough for House, 42, who had to overcome learning disabilities as well as ADHD and both Aspersers and Noonan’s syndromes. “Sometimes it was tough,” House said. “But I kept myself motivated.”
House, who started her Associate of Arts degree in her hometown at Muscatine Community College, then finished it at Kirkwood, took one course at a time to get her degree. She was at Kirkwood for approximately four and half years.
House said that she found Kirkwood to be accommodating to her needs. “I am a special needs student, and the teachers were more available to me at Kirkwood. I was allowed to tape my classes and re-take notes,” House said.
The faculty and staff at Kirkwood that House appreciated so much….also appreciated her. “I can genuinely say that Mary is one of the finest individuals I have ever had the privilege of being around.” Karen McCaa, a counselor at Kirkwood in Iowa City said. “Mary has overcome obstacles that would have discouraged most people from pursuing and achieving their dreams. She stayed positive and remained in an attitude of faith no matter what life challenges came her way.”
While living in Iowa City for the last nine years, House has been involved in Reach For Your Potential, a supportive living program for people with disabilities. House has been a client since she came to the area, and has been working in the office for five years after leaving a job at Wal-Mart. The organization also helps people with disabilities become involved members of the Iowa City community. “There is always job security,” House said of her job. “People will always need help.”
House currently participates in the Reach for your Potential supportive living program. When she’s not working she enjoys watching television and being with her parakeet, LittleBit, whom she’s had for nine years.
Although her classes were tough, House says that she’ll miss being in school. “I’ll probably miss going to classes, but it’s cool to say I have an Associate of Arts degree, it’s an accomplishment.”
House hopes to take more courses in the future, “I think it would be fun to take a class at Iowa, just for fun,” House said. For now, she’s sure that she wants to volunteer at the hospital. “Reading to kids and playing with kids would be fun,” House added.
“Mary is the kind of person who inspires all of us to want to be over-comers and become all that we were born to be,” McCaa said.