1. In Her Own Words: One Student Story
StudentProfile:RisingScholar MallyssaLeng
(Picture:MallyssaandZackeryLeng)
My name isMallyssa,butI go by “Mallyss.”Iam a 34 year oldsingle (bychoice) woman, Ihave nokids
and have an apartmentinGorham withmybrotherZackery(Zack) who alsoattendsUMA as a computer
science major.
I am a studentwhoattendsthe Saco campusand online classes.Iaminthe UMA Mental Healthand
Human Servicesprogramwitha dual concentration:one beingadultmental healthrehabilitationand
the othersubstance abuse treatment–whichisgreatbecause Iam alsogettinghands-onexperience in
bothareas of my prospective fields.Iworkfortwo agenciesinsouthernMaine thatare directlyrelated
to my fieldof study:Maine Behavioral HealthandCrossroadsforWomen.
2. I decidedtogo backto school because althoughIhad workedthe gamutindevelopmentalhuman
servicesandmental health,Ihadattainedall the certificatesassociatedwithmyfieldsandthere wasno
room foradvancementwithoutthatpiece of paperstatingIhad gone onto furthereducation.Sohere I
am inschool.I have completedayearand have aboutfour semesterslefttofinishwithmytwoBachelor
of Science degrees.
The instructorwho nominatedme forthe RisingScholarprogramwasDorrea Fellman,she taught
Introductiontothe College Experience atthe UMA campus.This classwas actuallylife-changingforme.
My brotherandI attendedittogetherthispastsummersemester,drivingtwice weeklytoAugustafor
class.The classtaughtself-management,how tocreate,maintainandachieve goals,andmostof all how
to self-regulateinanysituation–howtobe a creator of your success.Thisclassignitedafire and passion
inme that I didnotknowI had, one that leadsme furtherintothe HumanServicesfieldandgivesme
the courage to eventhinkaboutgraduate school.I’ve neverhadthisbefore–nevereventhought“could
I?”
The Saco centeriswhere Ichose to go because itwascloserto me.UMA isa haul,andSaco is here and
local.WhenI firstcame to Saco I was withintwoweeksof the beginningof the fall semester.[Someone
toldme once that I wouldbe accepted] “onlyif amiracle happens.”The dayfall semester startedIgot
my acceptance letterandsaw[the person] thatday at classand said.“Miraclesreallydohappen!”So
that bitof challenge fromheractuallyhelped.Itpushedme fromthe beginningtogetmyself ingearand
prove that “I coulddo this.”SoSaco is where Iam. The USM campusis aboutfive milesfromhome in
Gorham, butI feel akinshipwiththe facultyhere.
My experiencesatthe centerhave varied.WhenIfirststartedI feltveryalone,asIwas literallyalonein
some of my classes. Insome classeswe hadto phone bridge tootherclassesinotherareas of Maine,
but KimDoodyreallyhelpedbridge thatgapbetweenbeingalone andfeelingwelcomed. She is
welcomingandtalkstoeveryone.The new centerisgreat.It’ssmallerbutmakesyoufeel more of a
3. connectionwithclassmatesandcenterstaff.The area isin a greatlocationand doesn’thave acreepy
oldmill vibe.
AfterI graduate fromUMA I wantto attendBostonCollege andenroll inthe advancedstudies
PsychiatricNurse Practitionerprogram.Ifeel ourcommunityhasa greatneedforthese skillsasone in
fourpeople sufferfrommental illness.Atthe same time the numberof people whoare goingtocollege
isdecliningdailyasare the doctorsand psychiatristthatare stayinginMaine. By beingaseasonedand
experiencedpersoninthisfield,coupledwithmyeducation,Ifeel Icanmake a difference tothe people
whosufferfrommental illnessandsubstance abuse.Imaynotbe able to change the world—yet—butI
can helpchange Maine and the way thatpeople withanydisabilityorillnessare perceivedandtreated
(UniversityCollege,2014)
Works Cited
UniversityCollege.(2014, 11 7). University CollegeUniversity of Maine System.RetrievedfromStudent
Profile:RisingScholarMallyssaLeng:https://learn.maine.edu/saco/2014/11/07/in-her-own-
words-one-student-story/
![I decidedtogo backto school because althoughIhad workedthe gamutindevelopmentalhuman
servicesandmental health,Ihadattainedall the certificatesassociatedwithmyfieldsandthere wasno
room foradvancementwithoutthatpiece of paperstatingIhad gone onto furthereducation.Sohere I
am inschool.I have completedayearand have aboutfour semesterslefttofinishwithmytwoBachelor
of Science degrees.
The instructorwho nominatedme forthe RisingScholarprogramwasDorrea Fellman,she taught
Introductiontothe College Experience atthe UMA campus.This classwas actuallylife-changingforme.
My brotherandI attendedittogetherthispastsummersemester,drivingtwice weeklytoAugustafor
class.The classtaughtself-management,how tocreate,maintainandachieve goals,andmostof all how
to self-regulateinanysituation–howtobe a creator of your success.Thisclassignitedafire and passion
inme that I didnotknowI had, one that leadsme furtherintothe HumanServicesfieldandgivesme
the courage to eventhinkaboutgraduate school.I’ve neverhadthisbefore–nevereventhought“could
I?”
The Saco centeriswhere Ichose to go because itwascloserto me.UMA isa haul,andSaco is here and
local.WhenI firstcame to Saco I was withintwoweeksof the beginningof the fall semester.[Someone
toldme once that I wouldbe accepted] “onlyif amiracle happens.”The dayfall semester startedIgot
my acceptance letterandsaw[the person] thatday at classand said.“Miraclesreallydohappen!”So
that bitof challenge fromheractuallyhelped.Itpushedme fromthe beginningtogetmyself ingearand
prove that “I coulddo this.”SoSaco is where Iam. The USM campusis aboutfive milesfromhome in
Gorham, butI feel akinshipwiththe facultyhere.
My experiencesatthe centerhave varied.WhenIfirststartedI feltveryalone,asIwas literallyalonein
some of my classes. Insome classeswe hadto phone bridge tootherclassesinotherareas of Maine,
but KimDoodyreallyhelpedbridge thatgapbetweenbeingalone andfeelingwelcomed. She is
welcomingandtalkstoeveryone.The new centerisgreat.It’ssmallerbutmakesyoufeel more of a](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)