Changing Live Daily
LCCC鈥檚 Laramie Campus a springboard for success
香蜜影视始s Laramie Campus library is a relatively quiet place, but for the last several years, it鈥檚 had a rather large presence as a constant.
Leland Weber is something of a fixture on the Laramie Campus, known for his helpful presence and dedication. As a staff member in the library, his daily tasks ranged from assisting students with book checkouts to navigating them through the complexities of research materials and managing the 3D printer. Most staff members and many students know Leland and see him as a reliable, positive force on campus.
鈥淚f I can鈥檛 answer a question in the library, I鈥檒l find someone who can, whether that鈥檚 someone here on campus or online; I鈥檒l exhaust everything until I find the answer,鈥� Leland says with a laugh.
And perhaps more importantly, Leland stands out as a testament to the life-changing power of education. As Leland has now graduated with a bachelor鈥檚 in Business Management, his departure will signal the end of an impactful era at the Laramie Campus, a chapter marked by growth, learning and proving it鈥檚 never too late to start over.
As a first-generation and nontraditional student, Leland鈥檚 journey from facing personal challenges to standing on the brink of graduation is an exceptional story of overcoming obstacles to arrive at one鈥檚 goals. It underscores the transformative role of education and the supportive community that can make transformations such as Leland鈥檚 possible at LCCC鈥檚 Laramie Campus.
Damien Kortum, Dean for Academic Affairs, says the Laramie Campus serves an important role in the broader educational ecosystem of southeast Wyoming.
鈥淟CCC鈥檚 service area encompasses Albany and Laramie counties, making it our duty to provide community college support to our communities,鈥� Damien says. 鈥淲e provide low-cost, high-quality coursework and programming for those seeking smaller classes and a sense of community. That鈥檚 not necessarily something you can get at the University of Wyoming.鈥�
Whether it was the staff, instructors or administrators, Leland is emphatic that he owes his success to those who have helped him at LCCC.
鈥淭he prime strength of the Laramie Campus is its sense of community,鈥� he says. 鈥淓very single person who works at the Laramie Campus invests in the importance of campus community as the best means of developing excellence.鈥�
The Laramie Campus caters to a diverse student body, from those completing their high school equivalency to university students filling gaps in their schedules, to community members enriching their lives through education.
鈥淥ur goal is to meet students where they are and help them get where they鈥檙e going,鈥� Damien says.
In trying to help high school students get on the right post-graduation track, Damien notes that dual and concurrent enrollment programs at the Laramie Campus are having an increased positive impact on the community, highlighting a near 100% increase in dual enrollment numbers in recent years. Programs like the Credit Diploma in Culinary Arts and Automotive Fundamentals not only offer high school students college credentials, but also inspire them to pursue further education, showcasing the campus鈥檚 commitment to practical education with outstanding rewards, Damien says. The Culinary Arts and Automotive Fundamentals programs are currently only available to Laramie High School students.
Leland鈥檚 success story is one of many that Damien thinks about when considering how the Laramie Campus makes a difference. Every graduate from the Laramie Campus, he says, is an important success that should be celebrated. Whatever stage in life students come to the Laramie Campus鈥攜oung or old, new to college or returning鈥擠amien says it鈥檚 a springboard to a world of possibility. That, he says, is a positive thing for everyone in southeast Wyoming.
鈥溝忝塾笆觟s a broader community of support, and we are all invested in our students鈥� success, from the president on down,鈥� Damien says. 鈥淎 win at the Laramie Campus is a win for all of us.鈥�