A New Student of the Year
PRESQUE ISLE, Maine – A new student of the year has been announced at the Northern Maine Community College (NMCC). This year, the honor goes to an international student who has made a significant impact on the campus and community. Tom Richard, Director of the Rodney Smith Wellness Center, shared insights about the journey of this year’s winner, Jalen Lucas.
The Journey of an International Student
Two years ago, NMCC began welcoming international students to campus, and Jalen came from Trinidad and Tobago with little knowledge of the country or its community. Despite the challenges of adapting to a new environment, Jalen has excelled both academically and socially. He has been an international student at NMCC since the fall of 2022, balancing his studies in business administration with volunteer work at the Rodney Smith Wellness Center.
Jalen Lucas said, “This is basically where I spend most of my time outside of class helping the elderly, people need help with certain equipment. I enjoy being physically active and fit, so I also enjoy helping people try to better themselves and be a better version of themselves.”
Growing and Engaging with the Community
Richard noted, “He started working here in the fitness center and I’ve had the ability to watch him and observe him grow over the last two years. Not only getting along and engaging with students but really the community members. Jalen came in and engaged with the community and got to know them and created a lot of friendships. It’s been really a pleasure to have Jalen here and sharing not only his cultures and experiences from his home but also getting to know everybody here at the college.”
Challenges of Transitioning
Lucas shared that transitioning as an international student from Trinidad and Tobago to Presque Isle, Maine, has had its difficulties. “It’s the most south island in the Caribbean. So, it’s pretty warm there. We have two seasons, rainy season, and dry season. Typically, you’re looking at eighty-five degrees. It doesn’t get lower than that. That’s considered cold and we’ll get anywhere from like a hundred and up. Especially in the summertime. It’s a mixture of emotions. You know, good, bad, and indifferent. You have times where you feel lonely from being away from home for so long and being so far away from family and then there’s times where the college especially put their arms around me and make me feel welcome make me feel loved make me feel appreciated make me feel heard and I really appreciate that because it’s like they’ve become my family away from my family. So, it was a good way for helping me transition from one extreme to the next.”
Looking Ahead
Richard added, “I’m sorry that he’s graduating. We’re gonna be losing him but he’s gonna be moving on and he’s been a real addition here to the school.” Lucas will be attending the award ceremony on the twenty-fourth and says this success wouldn’t be possible without the support he received from NMCC.
