CECILIA DeLEON
COABE Award
2020 Coalition on Adult Basic Education Outstanding Adult Learner of the Year Currently studying sociology
During the pursuit of her GED diploma at Whatcom Community College, Cecilia DeLeon battled stomach cancer and raised two children on her own. She had been a victim of sexual assault and then became an advocate against it while also serving members of her community as a translator and resource. She has truly demonstrated leadership while overcoming the most difficult of circumstances. Cecilia works with Community to Community, a local organization devoted to social justice for farm workers. In 2017, she actively stood against the Department of Licensing’s record-sharing agreement with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement that impeded on the rights of immigrant families. In 2018, Cecilia lobbied against sexual misconduct among immigrant agricultural workers. In 2020, Cecilia was awarded the Adult Learner of the Year Award from the Coalition On Adult Basic Education (COABE—see link above). Cecilia has also been an incredible leader on campus. She is an advocate for voting rights, voter education, and initiatives that increase student voter registration at WCC.
In November 2019, 12 years after embarking on her journey, she earned her GED diploma. With her high school diploma in hand, Cecilia is now ready to transition into a full-time college student. She is now studying sociology at WCC, and says, “it’s all about empathy. It’s a process of walking in other shoes and learning from them and growing.” Each year, about 79% of WCC’s students pursue an academic transfer degree, while 21% pursue a professional-technical degree or certificate. Our students most commonly go on to major in business, social sciences, humanities, sciences and environmental sciences, nursing, or engineering. Students in professional-technical programs prepare to enter the workforce in industries such as healthcare, technology, business, education, and law and justice. Regardless of the program, WCC is committed to ensuring graduates meet the evolving needs of the region’s businesses and industries. Together we are providing students with the tools they need to fill high demand, family wage jobs.
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