Terra Wolden, a Clatsop Community College student graduating this spring, has shown incredible resilience and determination during her time at CCC. Her resolve to not give up on her goal of higher education has successfully led to her next step in going to university and is an example of that old phrase that says if at first you don’t succeed, try and try… and try again.
In 2019 Terra moved to Jewell, OR with her family to take care of her grandfather. She attended Seaside High School, graduating from there in 2020, a year and a half ahead of schedule. In the fall of 2020, Terra enrolled at CCC. However, due to her grandfather and mother’s health risks, she dropped out for their safety amidst the covid pandemic. In 2021 she re-enrolled in online classes but found it difficult to do any work with no wifi access and no transportation for her 1-hour commute into Astoria and dropped out again. In the fall of 2022, she re-enrolled for a third time, but could not finish the year following the passing of her beloved grandmother. With her previous attempts at CCC behind her and a GPA of just 0.97, Terra decided that the fall of 2023 would be the time her success story began. She was right and completed her first successful term.
Terra has now completed two successful years at CCC and raised her GPA by two solid grade points, standing at a well-deserved 3.0. She will be receiving her Associate of Arts Oregon Transfer (AAOT) degree this June. When she decided to first attend CCC, the covid pandemic was still in full swing and she figured it would be best for her to stay closer to her family while she went to school. Now, she feels that starting at CCC was one of the best decisions she could have made.
This coming fall, Terra will be attending Pacific University in Forest Grove on their highest academic merit scholarship of $30,000, along with another $19,000 in other financial aid. Her award package in total amounts to around $50,000, almost a full-ride. When asked how she reacted to receiving this award, she said, “With my GPA and my story I didn’t really think going to a university would be possible, but I believe everything happens for a reason. It’s best that this happened now in my life. I know what I want to do versus when I first came here and had no idea what I wanted to do.”
During her time at CCC, Terra has been involved in both Associated Student Government (ASG) and TRIO program. She also works a full-time job outside of school and doesn’t have much time for anything else. When asked how she feels about her successful last two years, Terra stated, “I would really like to thank Shaun Ford in the TRIO office because she’s been a huge help and a big motivator for me the last couple of years. And I feel like if she wasn’t my advisor, I probably would not be getting my associate’s degree in the next couple of weeks, so I’m just very grateful for her.”
While at Pacific University, Terra hopes to get her bachelor’s degree in social science. After seeing some of the struggles of her extended family, she has decided she wants to go into a field that helps people with similar challenges. Eventually, she has goals to obtain her PhD. She is most excited to be in a new place with new people and even more opportunities.
Congratulations to Terra and all the amazing students at Clatsop Community College who overcome struggles and barriers to pursue their goal of education.
