A profile of Outstanding Student Lisa Puetz
–by Darrin Cline, Kirkwood Communique’
Lisa Puetz is making the most of her college opportunity. A Culinary Arts student who just graduated from Kirkwood Community College, Puetz has taken a different route to college than many of her classmates.
Puetz is part of a growing number of non-traditional students taking classes at Kirkwood. A 1999 graduate of Springville High School, Puetz took time off from school and worked as a receptionist.
“Many of the students here went right from high school to college without taking a break. I feel that taking time away from school helped me to be more motivated and excited to be here,” said Puetz, who was named an outstanding student at Kirkwood. In 2008 she enrolled in Kirkwood’s Culinary Arts program. The quality of the program that has developed at Kirkwood and the chance to find the career she has always wanted motivated Puetz to start classes again.
Though she may have a few years on many of her classmates, Puetz still feels like one of them. “Everyone is very open-minded and accepting. It’s a very close group,” she said.
During her time away from the classroom, Puetz took a few giant steps forward in her life. Two and a half years ago she got married and in late 2008 the couple celebrated the birth of a boy. The family resides in Springville.
Juggling family time and schoolwork is a challenge that Puetz has taken into consideration. “There are days that are struggles, but I have great family support. Everyone is very understanding and helpful,” Puetz said.
Managing a family and her own schoolwork are not the only things that make Puetz outstanding. Her care for others and willingness to help are on display every day. Puetz takes time to help an autistic classmate with his studies so he can achieve his goals.
According to Lisa Puetz, the Kirkwood Culinary Arts program has great teachers who are always willing to help. She is simply “paying it forward.”
[Copyright 2010, The Communique’, the student newspaper of Kirkwood Community College; Used by permission.]