Student Spotlight
Quindelynne Hasler, Mitchell Scholar
Coming to SMCC has opened up new opportunities for Quindelynne Hasler that she never imagined.
Her education at SMCC has provided her the in-depth video production training she wanted and led to work on a multi-day music video and a job as a news assistant at WGME-TV. Now she’s been awarded a prestigious George J. Mitchell Peace Scholarship to study in Ireland next year.
Quindelynne graduated high school in a small farming town in Minnesota and decided to come to SMCC to earn a degree in Communications & New Media Studies. She lived in Maine as young child and has relatives here.
When she arrived, she was pleasantly surprised at the wide offerings in filmmaking and video production as well the film equipment.
Next spring, she will study at the Cork Institute of Technology in Cork, Ireland, through the Mitchell Scholarship, which is named for former U.S. Sen. George Mitchell and pays for tuition, housing, meals and other expenses. She plans to bring a video camera and make a documentary of her time there.
When she graduates, she hopes to continue her education, possibly in journalism to fulfill her dream of becoming a documentary filmmaker.
“I ended up throwing myself into the deep end of the Communications & New Media program. Everything I’ve done here has stemmed from the program. I keep very busy.”
Graduate Spotlight
Cathy Jones, 2nd Career
Cathy Jones worked for many years in finance and was looking for a second career where she could make a difference in people’s lives. Now, after graduating from the Midcoast Campus’ nursing program, she has a job awaiting her.
Cathy had the full support of her husband and four children when she decided to come to SMCC. The program was more rigorous than she expected, but the tough challenge made earning her degree all the more sweet.
Now she will go to work at LincolnHealth-Miles Campus (formerly Miles Memorial Hospital) in Damariscotta while also working toward a bachelor’s degree through the University of Maine at Fort Kent.
After she earns a bachelor’s degree, Cathy plans to earn a master’s degree and become a nurse practitioner. For now, she’s carrying on a family tradition; both her mother and great-grandmother were nurses, making her the third generation in her family to enter the field.
“I decided I wanted to do something that had more meaning to me. I got interested in international aid programs and I wanted to facilitate a way to eventually work overseas. I decided nursing was a good path to reach my goals.”