At the CCS Foundation, we often say that our alumni build our local communities. They’re the folks you interact with every day, working hard to achieve their dreams and make our community better.
That idea is exactly what we were reminded of when talking to Julia Loftenius.
Julia earned her GED and her Direct Transfer degree from Spokane Community College.
“I had always related to my community, even though I lived in different countries, so I chose to major in something interesting, which was forensic science and criminology.”
She chose SCC because she was paying for school herself, and community college was more financially feasible.
Her first program – focusing on general science – was hard, since she didn’t have experience in science or lab classes. And as a nontraditional student, Julia said she was intimidated, especially sharing classes with Running Start students.
“Yet, they were an inspiration, as they, my teachers, and the Spokane Community College community always had resources and support for me.”
An academic advisor helped her focus her interest on sociology and criminology. At the end of her study, Julia transferred to Gonzaga University to finish her bachelor’s degree.
What Julia notes was most impactful about her time at SCC is the community that supported her along the way.
“CCS helped me achieve my dreams by providing support through teachers and peers and work-study at the financial aid office at Spokane Community College.”
Now, she’s the one giving back. She’s a full-time student at GU studying Criminology. She is a work study at Second Harvest; a volunteer center intern with Bite2Go, a program that feeds schoolchildren on the weekends; and a literacy tutor at Gonzaga. She’s also started to work with Spokane C.O.P.S. in crime prevention. Julia is even learning forensic work, like doing latent fingerprinting for car thefts.
“What is exciting about my work is I can give back to my community.”
Julia wants to offer that same support, encouragement, and inspiration she received to other folks thinking of starting their educational journey.
“I want my story to inspire those who see significant obstacles standing in their way. With hard work, perseverance, and asking for help, my success has shaped me into who I am,” Julia said. “CCS has proved that it will always support those, no matter how tough life gets or how scary taking the first step can be.”