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In 2019, Rania Watts stood at a crossroads in her life. Encouraged by her husband to fulfill her dream of furthering her education, she began a journey that would soon include her daughter, Jordan. Together, they discovered a community of support and opportunity at Durham College (DC).
"My husband is the catalyst of this story," shared Rania. "When I graduated from Centennial College in 1997, I always wanted to go back to complete my education after earning a Social Service Worker Diploma. However, I ended up working right away. In the fall of 2019, he encouraged me to return to my studies."
Rania’s search for the right program led her to the Victim Justice and Interventions graduate certificate at DC. "I found the support I received from the staff to be tremendous," she says. This experience motivated her to explore more programs, leading to her application to the Behavioural Science – Honours Bachelor degree (HBBS) program. "Let's put it this way, there was a lot of screen refreshing until the acceptance was received at 1:48 a.m. early on a Thursday morning.”
Jordan, inspired by her mother's enthusiasm, decided to join her at DC. "When I was in Grade 11, my mom told me how good the atmosphere was at Durham College. Though she was online, she loved the support provided to her," Jordan said. Passionate about art, she enrolled in the Fine Arts – Advanced diploma program. "It was comforting to attend school where I had a personal connection."
Returning to school after nearly 25 years was daunting for Rania. Concerns about finances, academic performance, and being decades older than most students made her a little nervous, however, the Financial Aid and Awards office at DC helped alleviate some of these worries. "DC made it very clear that they would do everything in their power to help me," she says.
The Financial Aid and Awards office at DC was a cornerstone of Rania and Jordan’s college experience. Rania, managing a tight budget while supporting three children, calls DC’s informative webinars “amazing” and is where she discovered DC’s bursaries and the benefits of OSAP.
We work with students to uncover their unique circumstances and then assist with creating a financial plan to help them through college. Teaching students how to manage their finances is also a big part of what we do as well.
Rania has received a number of bursaries throughout her time at DC, including the Entrance Award for the Behavioural Science Degree, DC’s General Bursary, and the Eva Loraine Cornish Memorial Award. For Jordan, bursaries such as the Durham College General Bursary and the Roger Anderson Charity Classic Award have provided much-needed financial relief.
"The amount of support we received was immense; not just financial, but emotional as well," said Rania.
For Jordan, who was transitioning directly from high school to college, she struggled with anxiety and worried about maintaining good grades and staying passionate about her program. Thanks to DC’s supportive environment, these fears quickly faded, and she found comfort in the kindness and patience of DC’s employees. "From the moment I applied to DC, I knew I was in the right place," she said.
Rania was particularly impressed by the college’s emphasis on mental health and self-care. "One of the reasons that I decided to stay at DC was because of the support that I received from all of my professors while I was studying Victim Justice and Interventions," she says.
Looking forward, Rania intends on completing the HBBS program, and returning to DC for the Music Business Management advance diploma program. And Jordan looks forward to graduating from Fine Arts.
Whether you’re returning to school after many years or transitioning directly from high school, DC’s services and supportive community are there to help you every step of the way. "There is a solid infrastructure in place that offers innumerable support," said Rania.
Jordan adds: "All in all, you are not alone."
