Relocating from Southern California and settling into Woodland, Christina Thomas shared that she opted for Woodland Community College, drawn by its affordability and the convenience it offered to complement her lifestyle.
“My husband, Stan Thomas, and I registered and attended together,” she stated. “We were 21 and 22 years old with a one-year-old son. Our goal was to obtain an associate degree.”
That was in the early 2000s. Today Christina works for the California Asian Pacific Chamber of Commerce as a program manager for the Capital Readiness Program.
Christina’s remarkable journey of growth and her unwavering positive outlook as an alumna of Woodland Community College have culminated in her distinguished selection for the Eagles of Excellence Award.
The recognitional ceremony for Christina, as well as other nominees, will start with a reception at 4:30 p.m., Friday, April 12, in the new Performing Arts and Culinary building at the college, 2300 E. Gibson Road. Tickets are $50 per person and can be obtained by emailing foundation@yccd.edu or calling Carid Servin at 661- 5711.
Other award winners for 2024 include adjunct faculty members Paul Dilley and James Schulte, classified employee Raymond Sandoval and community member Elyse Doyle-Martinez.
At the California Asian Pacific Chamber of Commerce, Thomas works to provide minority business enterprises and “socially disadvantaged individual entrepreneurs with the technical and business assistance to enter and excel withing the electrification sector with various contract, access to capital and business development opportunities throughout California.”
In a way, it’s Thomas’s effort to give back to the region. Both she and her husband applied for financial aid under the Extended Opportunity Programs and Services, when they entered Woodland College.
“We met with EOP&S Director Evelia Genera and Academic Counselor Jesse Ortiz regularly who kept us on track for graduation,” she explained. “We both worked as peer counselors in the EOP&S program for two years. There were a lot of great educators that inspired us. Dennis Schiermeyer, Gregory Gassman, and Lee Mitchell have left a very strong impression of our time at Woodland College.”
Christina explained that the college offered a convenient morning and evening class schedule, with “both Stan and I able to attend a full-time student class schedule, while working and raising our son.
“Our counselors always encouraged us to transfer to a four-year university. After a few semesters, we decided to follow that path,” she stated. “We graduated from WCC in June of 2003 and both of us transferred to UC Davis on a transfer agreement. The both of us would not have been able to accomplish this without the guidance of the WCC staff. They made something we perceived out of reach to be realistic.”
Christina reported that Woodland College opened “opened doors for both me and Stan.”
“We were able to move forward in our educational and career goals while raising our son,” she stated. “Following the same path, our son, Andrew Thomas, also attended Woodland Community College.”
Attending Woodland Community College, allowed Andrew to build his self-esteem.
“Even though graduating high school at Woodland Christian, he never believed he could go to college and do it on his own,” Christina explained. “With determination and focus, while working part-time, Andrew graduated from WCC in 2021 and transferred to California State East Bay. I am proud to say Andrew is graduating with a bachelor’s degree from Cal State East Bay in May 2024.”
