Corynne Sperry, single mom of two, decided to go back to school in 2016 after some major life changes. She enjoyed her job as preschool teacher and she knew she wanted to work with children.  In exploring her options, and with a referral from a friend, she found the Occupational Therapist Assistant (OTA) Program at Green River.

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OTA was a perfect fit. Corynne could work during the day and attend hybrid classes in the evenings a few nights per week. At first, the notion of going back to school seemed unattainable – at 38, she had not stepped into a college classroom since taking a couple of classes right after her high school graduation. But, the instructors and fellow students made the transition easy for her. This supportive environment is largely what Corynne credits with keeping her in class whenever balancing schoolwork and daily life got a little overwhelming.

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While studying at Green River Corynne encountered tough but caring teachers, who made sure students kept on track. During this time, Corynne’s sister passed away unexpectedly, which could have derailed her studies, but classmates rallied around her. They were there for her with food, cards of encouragement, and being a listening ear when she needed it.

In June 2019, Corynne graduated the OTA Program - all of her hard work and dedication had paid off. In her words, “I set out to do something really hard, and I did it!” With graduation also came the promise of a new job. During her field work in the program, Corynne was able to try out a couple different areas in the OTA field. Knowing she wanted to work with children– she connected with the school district, and now she works with children in early intervention as a Certified OTA.“I can’t believe that someone pays me to do this.”

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One of the things she is most grateful for is that fact that she graduated from Green River debt free. With the help of Foundation scholarships, Corynne was able to pursue her degree and become a Certified OTA without student loans and debt hanging over her head upon graduation.

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Hear more from Corynne and other OTA students here!