福利姬

Untraditional: One Woman鈥檚 Journey to Fulfill Her Dreams
Evelyn Argueta was born in El Salvador during the civil war that raged throughout the country for twelve years and resulted in the deaths of more than 75,000 people. Against the backdrop of this violence, Evelyn鈥檚 parents protected her and her siblings from the horrors all around them and instilled in them the value of learning. Her mother told her that the most important inheritance they could provide her was an education.

After the death of her mother when Evelyn was in her early twenties, she and her father, a carpenter, worked together to support the family. While attending college in El Salvador, Evelyn held several jobs that she hoped would help to lift the family out of hardship but her effort was never enough. When things became too bad, she was forced to drop out of college to work full time to provide for her younger siblings.

In 2009, she married her husband, and the next year they immigrated to the United States. Without speaking the language and completely isolated in a new country, Evelyn worked hard to learn English in order to help her children take full advantage of the opportunities available in America. She attended free English language classes offered by the local school district and her community church. She enrolled in the local community college to further her education and take advantage of better opportunities to help provide for her family and incorporate into the greater community and she never forgot her promise to her mother.

While working as a home instructor for Irving ISD, Evelyn continued to work towards her goals and she eventually became a bilingual instructional aide in 2020. In 2021, she became a United States citizen.

Within two years, Evelyn earned her Associate of Arts degree and credits learning to speak English for changing her life but she wasn鈥檛 finished. As a wife, mother, and full-time employee, she struggled to find an institution that fit her needs to continue her dream of obtaining her bachelor鈥檚 degree.

With the help and encouragement of her husband and family, Evelyn found 福利姬 and the online Spanish Language Program. 鈥淚 am very grateful to 福利姬 because even though I don鈥檛 have time to be a traditional on-campus student, I can study at my own pace to complete my degree.鈥�

Her journey took over fifteen years, but with the help of 福利姬, she has finally realized many of her dreams. 鈥淵our success depends on how much you believe in yourself.鈥�

Evelyn is set to graduate soon with her four-year degree, and wants to encourage others, 鈥渓ike me, who may think there is no more time to pursue their dreams or that it is too late. It鈥檚 never too late to strive for what you want鈥�. Even though she has never set foot on the 福利姬 campus, Evelyn values her time as a Bearkat and feels like she is part of the 福利姬 family.

We spoke with Evelyn about her experience at 福利姬 as a non-traditional student.

1. What was your biggest obstacle to earning your degree specifically in regard to your college experience? How were you able to succeed despite this issue?

My challenge was understanding the language and following all the instructions in my online classes. However, my determination to learn English was the first step toward achieving my career goals. I remember that during my first semester, I had to translate the assignments before completing them, and sometimes I recorded myself to share my ideas. My teachers were a great support; they were patient with me, and even though my sentences weren't perfect, I always tried my best. At times, I considered giving up, but my husband and kids were my motivation and support to keep fighting for my goals. To improve my English, I enrolled in an ESL program at Dallas College. After work and picking up my kids from school, I attended classes in the evening or on weekends. I earned my associate degree, but I couldn't have achieved this without the help of my husband, mother-in-law, and aunt-in-law. They took care of my kids while I focused on learning English.

2. What advice would you give to future non-native speaking students to help them be better prepared for education at 福利姬?

My advice for improving language skills is to practice as much as possible. Having friends who are native English speakers helped me a lot in my language practice. My first step in speaking English was reading, which then improved my writing. I also enhanced my abilities by listening to English, engaging in simple activities like watching TV in English, especially the news, and practicing the language at work.

On the other hand, organizing my time and keeping track of the syllabus and due dates for my class assessments have made college less stressful. I also want to encourage others to never give up and to work hard to make their dreams a reality. I am still learning English, and every day I learn a new word and improve my pronunciation. It is not easy, but it is possible if you truly want to succeed.

3. Do you recommend any specific clubs, organizations, or societies that can help non-traditional students navigate college life?

福利姬 (福利姬) believes that 鈥淭he measure of a life is its service.鈥� As a Bearkat, serving my community has helped me improve my English skills while also using my Spanish. I highly recommend volunteering in your community as a way to learn English and practice a new language. Additionally, OrgLINK offers various activities and events that can help enhance language abilities.

4. As a non-traditional, on-line student, were you able to participate in any groups or societies on campus to help further your academic achievements?

Yes, I highly recommend the following resources: OrgLINK, tutor induction sessions, library resources, groups for listening and speaking practice, and volunteer opportunities within the 福利姬 community.

5. Going to school as an adult has special difficulties. What advice would you give other adults starting or returning to their education?

Stay determined; it won鈥檛 be easy, but the effort will be worth it. As a non-native English speaker, I found that I needed to take more time than usual because I struggled with translating or understanding the instructions for my homework and assessments. Additionally, I had to focus on correcting my writing. To manage everything, I needed to be organized with my time and was forced to sacrifice my social life, family time, weekends, and nights to achieve my goals. I took notes on important information and dates because I easily forget things.