As Washtenaw Community College prepares to celebrate its 60th anniversary, we recognize
the thousands of alumni who turned opportunity into achievement. For six decades,
WCC has opened doors to education, careers and brighter futures — and these 60 Stories that will be compiled over the year reflect that enduring mission.
Statia Hamilton always dreamed of a large family and a fulfilling career. Now, she has both.
Hamilton started her family young and took a less traditional educational pathway to her dream job as a medical instrument technician at the Veteran Affairs Hospital in Ann Arbor.
After one college start and various jobs, Hamilton knew she needed to return to college and develop a career she loved. She learned about the then-new Sterile Processing certificate program at WCC and enrolled in the program’s first cohort.
“I wanted more for myself and my children,” recalls Hamilton, a mother of five. “I wanted a career, not a job. I knew I had to get educated.”
WCC helped change the trajectory of her life. She earned her certificate and started her career.
“I have an amazing job making great money and am able to take care of my kids and myself," she says. "It has made such a huge impact in my life. I’m grateful.”
Hamilton relied on the college’s flexible class schedules and found support at WCC with child care assistance and technology to help navigate schooling with a full family life.
She says her WCC education helped her learn to adapt quickly to day-to-day challenges, as well as new concepts.
“You can tell my instructors love what they do. If we had our struggles, they went the extra mile to make sure we were successful,” Hamilton said. “If it wasn’t for the great leadership I was under, I would not be in this position now. My instructor paved the way for me.”
Her advice to others? “Never feel like you can’t go back to college," she says. "There are plenty of resources that will help you be successful. You may have to make some sacrifices. But if there is a will, there is a way.”
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This story first appeared in the Summer 2023 edition of Launch magazine.