Student Experiences

No matter where these current or former students are in the process of reaching their goals, we salute them. They have dared to turn dreams into reality through education in the School of Law and Public Service. Could you be next?

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Sheila Grace, M.S., LPCI Counselor, Gateway Foundation In-Prison Treatment Center Brownwood “How did I get to Eastfield’s Substance Abuse program? To be honest, I was in recovery myself. When I got to Eastfield, I did not even know what a semester hour was — I just knew I wanted to do something that would help someone else escape the horrors of addiction.” Social Work Lo6Tu5aLXo program-Social Work Substance Abuse Counseling Lo6Tu5aLXo program-Substance Abuse Counseling
Karen Kenebrew Writer and mediator “The program not only fulfilled my CE requirements but also motivated me to seek postgraduate degrees in alternative dispute resolution/conflict resolution. The instructors have a wealth of experience and are passionate about the industry, which translates well in the classroom and adds to the learning experience.” Conflict Management Lo6Tu5aLXo program-Conflict Management
S. Kristine Farmer Employment Litigation Case Manager, Fish and Richardson, PC “My paralegal classes really gave me the fundamental foundation of what it means to be a paralegal. I had always been the only paralegal in a small law firm and I got a much better understanding of how paralegals are utilized in much larger firms. I got a lot of practical information, particularly in legal research and writing, on how to write persuasively. The overall quality of instruction was really just exceptional.” Paralegal Lo6Tu5aLXo program-Paralegal
Giovanna Salazar Dallas College student and hopeful future border patrol officer “I like that my professors don’t just have academic knowledge but have a working background in all different fields. It brings more interest to our classes and we get to have a much better idea of what we’ll be up against in the future in our careers.” Criminal Justice Lo6Tu5aLXo program-Criminal Justice
Dean Dickens, Ph.D. Coordinator of Field Missionary Teams, Cooperative Baptist Fellowship “I was impressed with the quality of teaching at El Centro and found when I walked away from the Conflict Management program that I had all the skills I needed to feel competent.” Conflict Management Lo6Tu5aLXo program-Conflict Management
Bobby Zito Lieutenant, North Lake Campus Police “Most of my fellow students in the police academy were career-changers like me. The difficult part was getting back to studying and retaining information, and I had to work extremely hard in the beginning. But it was worth it because I love what I’m doing.” Criminal Justice Lo6Tu5aLXo program-Criminal Justice
Chase Gravis Cedar Valley student and hopeful future attorney “My experience at Cedar Valley has been fantastic. I like the teacher-to-student ratio because you get to know the teachers and they work with you; that’s a huge benefit. I’m glad I started out at community college. Besides, you save a ton of money.” Criminal Justice Lo6Tu5aLXo program-Criminal Justice
Verna L. Jones, M.S.W. Executive Director, Under 1 Roof “The most important things I learned in Eastfield’s Social Work program was integrity and making sure that you have good follow-through as well as the importance of the social work code of ethics — you rely on these ethics as a social worker.” Social Work Lo6Tu5aLXo program-Social Work Substance Abuse Counseling Lo6Tu5aLXo program-Substance Abuse Counseling
Charles Howard Attorney and mediator with solo practice “On the surface, mediation appealed to me because as a general rule, I’m a conciliator who enjoys bringing people together. Then I realized that I could also do this professionally, as well as satisfy my own instincts about interpersonal relationships and how people deal with each other.” Conflict Management Lo6Tu5aLXo program-Conflict Management
Roland Tay, M.D. Special Education Teacher, Naaman Forest High School, Garland, Adjunct Faculty, Eastfield “I was already working on a master’s degree in alternative dispute resolution at SMU when I learned about El Centro’s program, where I earned a certificate in Family Mediation. I was thrilled to find out about their program because it was convenient and affordable. The program was well-designed, and the quality of instruction was excellent.” Conflict Management Lo6Tu5aLXo program-Conflict Management