Alycia Fox of Bath started community college in 2009 at the age of twenty-one. Life challenges interrupted her pursuit of a degree for a time. Then, in 2016, she decided to explore her options.
Shaping Her Goals
Alycia enrolled in an online career planning class with New Ventures Maine. She wanted to make a better future for herself than her work as a per diem CNA was providing.
“A friend a told me about the services New Ventures Maine provides. I was confused. I knew I wanted to keep working in the health care profession, but I was getting burnt out in my current position.”
The online career class and individualized coaching helped Alycia shape her goals and put her next steps into action. “I was able to see the many options that I have going forward and narrow down what I was looking to do.”
Identifying Her Passion & Asking the Experts
During the class, Alycia began to identify what she is passionate about. She realized that she loves working out at the gym, learning about health and wellness, and encouraging others to be healthy and active. “I want to encourage people to take care of themselves mentally and emotionally, not just physically.”
To learn more about what direction she wanted to go in, she reached out to people in the fields she was interested in. Alycia came back glowing from her conversations. She reported that she had found her people and her passion.
Resources Along the Way
Once she identified a path, Alycia knew that she needed to finish her college degree to move forward. Alycia applied for the Gilda E. Nardone Scholarship from New Ventures Maine (NVME). This scholarship helped her enroll at UMA in fall 2017 to take one class at no cost to her. She plans to apply to USM for spring 2018 to complete a B.A. in Health Sciences with a Wellness track of study.
Alycia also worked on her budget with NVME and enrolled in the Family Development Account (FDA) program to save for future college costs. She hopes to finish her degree without any additional loans thanks to scholarships and the FDA program.
Work Life
At work, Alycia joined the Happy Campers, a wellness team to promote a healthier work environment for employees at the hospital. She also moved into a new position covering all units of the hospital.
If You Are Feeling Stuck
Alycia says, “I have recommended New Ventures to a few of my friends who feel stuck in what they’re doing. I encourage them to keep searching until they are able to find what they are truly passionate about and pursue a career around that.”