Welcome to our Alumni and their stories
- Denjo Bahia
- Linda Barnes
- Lorenzo Valerio Guzman, Sr.
- Victoria Bryant
- A H M Zuberi Ashraf
Denjo Bahia
When did you attend Temple College?
I attended Temple College from fall 2019 to spring 2021. It has been an honor being a Leopard despite only being here for a short period of time.
What made you decide to go to Temple College?
I applied to Temple College with the sole purpose of getting into the Respiratory Therapy AAS program. Most of my college education was done at Austin Community College and my goal in the spring of 2015 was to become a Physical Therapy Assistant. I was only able to take three classes each semester at ACC due to being out of district (I live in Pflugerville). I could not afford to take more classes each semester, which slowed down my journey to becoming a Physical Therapy Assistant. I was also working up to 30 hours a week at a gas station during my time at ACC. As I progressed with my pre-requisites and did the 40 hours of internship needed to get into the PTA program my mind changed. After my internship, I realized that I would not get fulfillment being a PTA, so I took time off school and felt lost in life. School was something I did not feel like continuing with at this point.
I decided to go to Temple College after my mother told me about the Respiratory Care program that was offered there. At first, I was very skeptical about it until I looked up the program requirements, which I had most of the pre-requisite classes already done. I was 23 years old at this point and felt like I was running out of time. I researched Respiratory Therapy and found out that they specialized in helping diagnose, treating and maintaining the cardiopulmonary system. I grew up with asthma so I felt like I could learn a lot about myself by getting in this field. The pay and only working three to four shifts a week drew me into the program. I finished my remaining pre-requisites of Anatomy and Physiology 1 and 2 at ACC and then I applied to Temple College in December 2018. I spoke with an advisor at the Hutto location about my transfer and seeing if the program was offered there since I lived in Pflugerville. I found out that I would have to commute to Temple, which was an hour away from where I live. At this point of my life, I was already working as a bank teller for six months and realized I would have to save as much as I could for tuition and gas money, and car maintenance related costs. I committed to furthering my education and was willing to make this one-hour commute to succeed.
What were your first impressions of Temple College?
I was very impressed with Temple College when I first visited the Temple location to do an informational session for the RT program. The respiratory therapy classes are held in the Health Sciences Center. The HSC is where I mostly spent my time during my two years at Temple College, because my classes were there. The HSC has adequate simulation rooms and respiratory equipment to help the students master skills that will be used in the hospital setting. There was a student lounge area along with adequate seating and microwaves for the students. The lounge area is where I ate my meals and had great conversations with my classmates during lunch. The gym next to the HSC building was amazing! I was able to work out and stay fit after classes and best of all it was free because I was a student. The best thing about Temple College is the staff! They are very friendly and willing to help a student in need. Having an awesome staff can make a college stand out from other colleges.
How did attending Temple College impact you?
Attending Temple College has changed my life and I am grateful. The pandemic was rough for everyone. I thought I would not graduate in time and I lost motivation when I heard of the quarantine. Temple was able to adapt and move our classes to virtual learning which meant I could stay on track. My in hospital clinicals were canceled during quarantine but as summer approached our class was allowed to meet up on campus again and allowed to return to clinicals as long as we adhered to school and hospital protocols. I am grateful to the Temple College Foundation and the Rotary Club for giving me a $2,000 scholarship. Along with the CARES grants and Pell Grants, I was able to pay for my school and graduate debt free! This helped motivate me to keep going and keep my head up during the rough year of 2020. The two years I spent at Temple College have thought me so much about myself and my hidden potential. It gave me friendships that will last a lifetime, a chance at love that I have always dreamt of, and a chance at bettering my life. I would like to thank all the staff at Temple College, the Temple College Foundation and the Rotary Club for believing in me!
Linda Barnes
When did you attend Temple College?
September 1966 through May 1968
What made you decide to go to Temple College?
All of my high school friends were going to Temple College (then called Temple Junior College) right after high school. It was just the natural step after graduating from Temple High. The tuition was cheaper than four-year colleges, and I had a scholarship that paid for my freshman year. I could live at home to save money while taking my basics.
What were your first impressions of Temple College?
TJC looked huge to me although everything I needed was in the Instructional Services Center (ISC), even the gym. All of the faculty had tables set up in the gym, and students took their schedule cards of what classes they wanted and at what time and walked by each table to get a look at possible faculty choices to see if the classes they taught fit the individual student’s desired time frame. Most of us took classes in the mornings and had part-time jobs in the afternoons.
How did attending Temple College impact you?
I loved every single minute of being a TJC student. I was extremely shy when I started as a freshman right out of high school. My speech teacher, Ray Richey, somehow helped me overcome my shyness and become a totally different person. I joined almost every student club and quickly became an officer in most of them. I loved taking on the responsibilities and meeting new people from surrounding towns who came to the club meetings. I learned to speak in front of groups of people I did not know, and I found that I could now do this without trembling. I became friends with all of my teachers and even with teachers I did not have, such as Mary Alice Marshall, an icon in TJC history. I couldn’t sing at all and was never in her choir, but for some reason we became close personal friends until her death at the age of 104. But the person who truly impacted my life was the president, Dr. Hubert M. Dawson. He walked the hallways between classes and literally talked to everyone he passed and soon learned all of our names. For some reason, he always sought me out and asked how my day and life at TJC was going. He would invite me into his office to just vent if I needed to cry. He believed in me and told me I was going to make a difference in the lives of people I would encounter in the coming years. He made sure I got a scholarship to attend Mary Hardin-Baylor College (now the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor) to study to become an elementary school teacher. I did that for only one year because I just felt like I wanted something more. I worked the next 15 years at Temple 4-C and did administrative paperwork and helped the pre-school teachers with lesson plans, discipline issues, etc. I loved this job, but I still wanted more. When I was hired by TJC to work with both the Foundation and the College Communications office, I thought I might have found the dream job I had been seeking, and indeed it was! I have worked for Temple College now for almost 32 years, and I have loved every single minute of being here. I have made priceless friendships with many of the people I have met. I have worked with 5 different presidents of Temple College and made lifelong friendships with each of them. I have learned to take on challenges and do things I never thought I could do. Temple College is like family to me, and it feels like my second home!
Lorenzo Valerio Guzman, Sr.
When did you attend Temple College?
I went to Temple Junior College in 1975.
What made you decide to go to Temple College?
I went to Temple Junior College with funding through the GI Bill. I remember that I had attended St. Phillips College in San Antonio in the 70’s. When I moved to Belton I found that I needed to get my GED (which was not needed while attending St. Phillips College), and researched locations for GED classes. I found that Temple High School (which used to be located in downtown Temple) offered the study courses I needed to attain my GED. It was during this time that I saw signage posted in THS that Temple Junior College held classes in the area for Air Conditioning, and this triggered my desire to attend Temple Junior College. I also remember seeing TV commercials advertising Temple Junior College and I knew I wanted to experience this college life. After preparing for my GED exam, I took and passed the test at the old Davis Elementary school in Belton.
After passing and receiving my GED, I registered for classes in Central Heat and Air at Temple Junior College, as I wanted to complete my certification that I started at St. Phillips College in San Antonio. Unfortunately, due to lack of funding through the GI Bill, I was unable to complete my certification program.
What were your first impressions of Temple College?
After researching this college and other colleges, I knew that I wanted to attend Tempe Junior College. The campus had a student friendly environment, access to many resources throughout the college, and some of the best professors who supported me. I loved attending college and being part of the “college life.” Although I started Temple Junior College in my 20’s, even the younger students were helpful and supported me with my coursework when needed. Going to Temple Junior College was an amazing experience. My only wish would have been to complete my certification.
How did attending Temple College impact you?
Although I was unable to complete my certification in Central Heat and Air, the knowledge I gained from my time at St. Phillips College and Temple Junior College provided me with the experience and skills in the mechanical field (specifically the electrical portion of the courses) that I needed to be successful in my future employment opportunities.
Victoria Bryant
When did you attend Temple College?
I began my journey at Temple Junior College in the spring of 1996 in the Criminal Justice program. After changing my major, I graduated with an AAS degree in Management in May 2002.
What made you decide to go to Temple College?
I returned home from the military in 1995. As a newly divorced and single mother, I was unsure of how I was going to care for myself and my young son. I found full time and part time employment at different businesses, and they were all good jobs, but I never felt fulfilled. I knew that something was missing, but I had no idea what. Although I had acquired skills in the military, my job choices were very limited at that time, so I decided to go to college and since Temple College was so close to home, it was an obvious choice.
What were your first impressions of Temple College?
During my military career, I developed friendships and familial bonds that I never thought I would experience anywhere else. But when I came to Temple College, I got just that! Everyone seemed genuinely happy to help and would go above and beyond to help me with my personal and professional goals. From assisting me with filing the GI Bill paperwork, to applying for different scholarships, to gaining employment. There was also this amazing team who managed the Single Parent/Displaced Homemakers program which assisted me with finding financial assistance for daycare and housing. Above all else, there was so much guidance and support, not just when things were going well, but especially when I faced struggles and challenges. You can’t find that everywhere, so I knew very early on that Temple College was a truly special place!
How did attending Temple College impact you?
Attending Temple College was one of the best decisions I ever made in my life. When you attend college, you expect to gain knowledge and skills that will help you in your employment; however, I gained so much more in my time at Temple College. I’ve been able to develop a sense of self, independence, organizational skills and focus that you gain by accomplishing goals that you set for yourself. I was only able to achieve my goals because of the support I received from faculty and staff at Temple College. When I graduated in 2002 and subsequently relocated out of state, I promised myself that I would find a way to give back to Temple College. At the time, I had no idea what that would mean. Being able to come back to a place that holds such wonderful memories has been amazing! Being able to come back to the place where I found pride in community, friendships, hope, integrity and above all else, acceptance, why would I not want to be a part of it and help pass on those qualities to others.
A H M Zuberi Ashraf
When did you attend Temple College?
I started Temple College during the spring of 2013.
What made you decide to go to Temple College?
When I was a foreign exchange student in Temple, I heard about Temple College from my host family. Most of my host family went to Temple College to take classes or get their associate degrees. When I began exploring the different programs at Temple College, I noticed that even as a community college, Temple College offered a wide range of biological science courses and health science degrees. At a college fair, I learned about the AAS program in Biotechnology which made me decide to attend Temple College.
What were your first impressions of Temple College?
I really enjoyed the campus and the people, they were all very welcoming and friendly. The instructors were very devoted to student success and the campus being small didn’t have the intimidation of a four-year university. The buildings and classrooms were easy to navigate. I was also very impressed with the health science programs at Temple College; for a college of this size, these programs were very well known and very competitive.
How did attending Temple College impact you?
The classes I took at Temple College did prepare me for the remainder of my bachelor’s degree program at Texas A&M University - Central Texas. Specifically, the Biotechnology AAS program included extensive laboratory training which was instrumental to develop my skills to be able to work in a lab and conduct research. Because of the strong foundation that I received from this program, I was able to do internships and work in a lab all throughout my undergraduate years. That foundation coupled with all those years of lab experience was really what allowed me to stand out while applying to different competitive Ph.D. programs.