Picture Yourself Here: Lavender Stewart

Homeschooled Portage resident Lavender Stewart wasn't certain that she would go to college, but taking a few classes proved to be the key to forging her way forward. She works part time as a package handler at Fed Ex in Portage and has been a part-time college student since 2018.

"I always said I didn't want to go to college because I thought it would be too big and overwhelming," she said. That was before she started exploring the options at Kalamazoo Valley Community College. "It wasn't a hard transition because I did a lot of independent study for high school. There's just a lot more information to cover now," Stewart said.

She was the third woman in her family to become a Kalamazoo Valley student. Her sister Amethyst was dual enrolled while in high school and her mother, Annette, came to Kalamazoo Valley to gain medical assistant technology training in 2016, after she had already earned a Bachelor of Science degree in biology. She also served on Kalamazoo Valley's Medical Assistant Technology Board.

A scholarship from the KVCC Foundation Stewart helped cover the cost of books and she is now on track to graduating in winter 2025 with an associate degree in electrical technology. "I've always liked working with my hands and making little projects," she said. "At random, I chose to get a certificate in electrical technology. I really like the science behind it so I switched to an associate degree."

Stewart said she has always been considered a tomboy and it felt natural for her to pursue training in a field that's historically been dominated by men. "I haven't experienced any discrimination, as soon as I walk in the door they treat me as one of their own. I'm interested in the same craft as them, so I'm thriving."

She enjoys electrical technology because she can see theory come alive. "I don't usually like scientific theory because it's too vague for me to grasp but, in this field I can hold it in my hands, I can measure it with a meter or see it with an oscilloscope," she explained. "So far every professor has been passionate about their craft."

For those who are struggling to discover their strengths, Stewart, 24, suggests focusing on fun. "If you don't know what you're good at, see what you enjoy and see if there's a class that's related," she said. Taking a physical education class and an introduction to college class when she first enrolled helped her to become comfortable as a college student. "It helped me to get the feel for things," she said. Her favorite classes to date have been introduction to welding and motor controls.

Stewart loves the atmosphere at Fed Ex and hopes to become a maintenance technician. "I think it's important to keep learning new skills," she said. "My degree gives me such a varied background I have many job options. That's what is so great about my associates. It leaves my options open."