Issue date: 10/3/07
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Two years ago, she found herself homeless, unemployed and plagued by alcohol and substance abuse. Today, Juanita Allison has earned three scholarships and pursued a paid internship.
She has become a member of the Center for Science Excellence and an inspiration to her fellow students in the biology department.
Allison has won almost $3,000 in scholarships from Women in Science, Rubicon and the Contra Costa College Foundation, but just a short time ago the picture was not so bright.
"I had fallen into bad habits and endured a couple of stints in jail. I realized I needed to get back on my feet so I got into a rehabilitation program and then found the Rubicon Program," Allison said. "It was a place to go and try to get some new ideas, starting with a week-long training on how to overcome my past."
Rubicon is a non-profit service that helps its clients with life challenges, housing and employment. Its Career Center staff encouraged Allison to enroll in an introductory level biotechnology class.
"I didn't know I'd be going to college," Allison said. "I figured I'd be learning how to clean glassware or learn packaging or equipment monitoring, something to get my feet wet."
Biological sciences professor Kate Levine said Rubicon wrote the grant proposal that funds the Introduction to Biotechnology class where she first met Allison.
"It's not about history, it's about what's happening now," Levine said. "Juanita was a very aggressive, motivated and determined student. Because of the high quality of her work, I told her she should think about applying to CSE."
Allison did join CSE and jumped into college life with both feet. By the spring semester of 2007, she was taking 20.5 units.
"Dr. Levine gave me the Women in Science Scholarship application and that was something that I could do, write about such a turning point in my life," Allison said. "I felt that I was qualified for it because of my ambition and I could use the (financial) help. Once I got that first packet together, then I saw that I could do it again."
She has become a member of the Center for Science Excellence and an inspiration to her fellow students in the biology department.
Allison has won almost $3,000 in scholarships from Women in Science, Rubicon and the Contra Costa College Foundation, but just a short time ago the picture was not so bright.
"I had fallen into bad habits and endured a couple of stints in jail. I realized I needed to get back on my feet so I got into a rehabilitation program and then found the Rubicon Program," Allison said. "It was a place to go and try to get some new ideas, starting with a week-long training on how to overcome my past."
Rubicon is a non-profit service that helps its clients with life challenges, housing and employment. Its Career Center staff encouraged Allison to enroll in an introductory level biotechnology class.
"I didn't know I'd be going to college," Allison said. "I figured I'd be learning how to clean glassware or learn packaging or equipment monitoring, something to get my feet wet."
Biological sciences professor Kate Levine said Rubicon wrote the grant proposal that funds the Introduction to Biotechnology class where she first met Allison.
"It's not about history, it's about what's happening now," Levine said. "Juanita was a very aggressive, motivated and determined student. Because of the high quality of her work, I told her she should think about applying to CSE."
Allison did join CSE and jumped into college life with both feet. By the spring semester of 2007, she was taking 20.5 units.
"Dr. Levine gave me the Women in Science Scholarship application and that was something that I could do, write about such a turning point in my life," Allison said. "I felt that I was qualified for it because of my ambition and I could use the (financial) help. Once I got that first packet together, then I saw that I could do it again."
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