Students take advantage of ‘Second Opportunity’ at Wallace State

HANCEVILLE, Ala. — Jennifer Love of Cullman chose two of the most competitive health science programs to apply to at Wallace State Community College this fall. When she didn’t get into either program, she didn’t give up. She took a look at the other health programs offered at Wallace State and found one she thought would give her a “Second Opportunity” to earn a living in the healthcare field.
Love was one of dozens of students who took advantage of the Second Opportunity meeting held by the Health Science programs at Wallace State Thursday morning. The intent of the meeting was two-fold: to inform potential students of programs that still have openings for the fall semester and to give students who did not get in to their first-choice programs a chance to choose another program they may not have known about or that will benefit them as they work toward entering that first-choice program.
For Love, she’s decided to apply to the Health Information Technology program. Love said she spoke last week with Program Director Donna Ray and decided to come to the meeting to find out more. As the mother of two small children, Love said the 100 percent online aspect of Health Information Technology and Medical Coding programs appealed to her.
She added she felt led in that direction after not getting into her first-choice programs. “I left it up to God,” she said. “If it was meant for me to get into those programs, I will. If not, I said I would follow where he led me.”
Jerryn Harris of Albertville found two programs that interested him in the Patient Care Specialist and the Clinical Laboratory Technician programs. Harris had applied for the Polysomnographic (Sleep Lab) Technologist program, but didn’t get in to the program, which like most programs is limited in the number of applicants it can accept each year.
“I was looking for something that can bridge me over to the RN program,” said Harris, who started taking classes at Wallace State this summer.
The Patient Care Specialist program piqued his interest because of its close association with nursing and the certificates (EKG, CNA and Phlebotomy) he could earn to put him in the workforce while he completes his education. Also, the skills he can gain from the Patient Care Specialist program will transfer into nursing.
But Harris also found the Clinical Laboratory Technician program interesting. He said he’s found the lab work in his biology class interesting and the idea of working in a lab setting is appealing.
Though neither Love nor Harris got into their first-choice program, both said they appreciate the opportunity to learn more about the other health science programs at Wallace State.
“If people didn’t come [to this meeting] because they didn’t get into their first choice, then they’re missing out,” Harris said.
Those who missed the meeting can still find out about the programs with openings for this fall. The programs and their contact information include:

• Child Development, Marcie Hill, 256.352.8383 or 8334
• Clinical Laboratory Technician, Julie Welch, 256.352.8347, 8330 or 8334
• Emergency Medical Services, Michael Johnson, 256.352.8335 or 7848
• Health Care Information/Medical Coding, Donna Ray, 256.352.8327 or 7848
• Human Services, Susan Beck, 256.352.8339 or 7848
• Medical Assisting, Tracie Fuqua, 256.352.8321 or 8334
• Patient Care Specialist, Karen Walton, 256.352.8198 or 7857
• Pharmacy Technology, Brandon Brooks, 256.352.8023 or 8300
• Therapeutic Massage, Babs Herfurth, 256.352.8425 or 7848

For more information about all the Health Science programs at Wallace State, go to the Health Division page under Programs at www.wallacestate.edu.