Isabelle Bryson
Reporter
What college or university did you attend?
I attended Missouri Southern State University and University of the Southwest in Hobbs, New Mexico.
What was your major?
Bilingual Curriculum and Instruction. USW was one of the only colleges that offered a bilingual degree which all my classes were in Spanish so I could be a director of a bilingual school.
How did you decide what you wanted to get a degree in?
I had just come back from the mission field, and I had only taken a few OCC classes because I was a children’s minister before I went into the field. I came back from the mission field and new I wanted to help the underserved Latinos. I asked one of my MSSU professors what I could do to help Latinos and he told me, “First, you need to better your Spanish.” I received my undergrad in science education, and a TESOL. There were actually only 9 degrees in the US that offered what I got at USW. After school I taught Spanish for 7 years in Carthage
I don’t know if many people know this, but I am a director for two programs. I am the director for Crowder College’s CAMP and HSEP (high school equivalency program).
You just mentioned that you were in the mission field; where did go?
I went to Mexico City with my husband and two daughters. We served at a children’s home for three years. I was in Mexico prior to any of my degrees, but I taught English in Mexico. My husband became the development director, and we represent nationwide the ministry, “Niños de Mexico”
How long have you been affiliated with Crowder College?
2016 to present. Six years.
What are your goals as the CAMP and HSEP director?
Each year for CAMP we have a number of students that we must meet: 40 students and 40 scholarships. My goal is to make that number and exceed it. Because both programs I work for are federally funded I have strict guidelines I have to follow. For HSEP we have 85 spots to fill and this year we have 92 students, and our goal is to help them graduate. So, I think the goal for camp is to help college students complete their first year of college, and for my HSEP students is to help them get their GED so they can continue to improve their job, enroll into college, or join the military.
What is the best part of your job(s)?
I love the families that I get to work with in my HEP job. The best part of my job is when I go to a graduation, and I have a conversation with the graduate and there is always a time when a family member will say, “I’m doing it next!” It is so awesome to see our goals not only help our students but their family too. We also get to see a lot of family members graduate together; this year we have a mom and daughter graduating together.
My favorite thing to see as the CAMP director is when our students who have completed their first year come back as a CAMP mentor. I love to watch the new relationships grow and the mentors grow into the mature adults we want them to be. I also love it when a Camper comes back to visit, and they tell us where all they have gone and what they have accomplished.
What is the hardest part of your job(s)?
We have students that we have done as much as we can to help them, and they walk away. It is so hard because I know the differences it can make in their life if they stay with us. Our hope is that they will come back and complete their education. It is so important to us that they succeed.
How has COVID affected your job if at all?
It has mainly affected how aware we are. I must think through every process now. Things were so easy to run through, but now simple things like seating or activities are more difficult to plan. We recently wanted to do an activity with our students, and we needed them to pair up, but we had to make a new rule in the game, being always keep six tiles on the floor in between your partner to keep everyone social distanced. I think we have all had to adjust to just being more mindful about COVID.
What is something that you would want new/potential Crowder students to know about CAMP?
Our program is unique and provides the opportunity for a small cohort success. We get to know you and that makes a difference. No other program that is this small can give you the same things that we offer.
How has being the director of these two programs changed you?
It has really taught me the meaning of serving others. But it has also opened my eyes to more of the underrepresented and to the struggles and obstacles they have.
If you weren’t working as a director for CAMP or HSEP, what do you think you would be doing?
Probably retirement. However, I love to serve in a homeless shelter, I serve on a monthly basis, so I would probably be working there, or I would go back to Mexico to work.
What is one thing every college student should do before graduation?
I would encourage all graduates to join a study abroad program. These programs really open your eyes to a different way of living, beyond our eccentric U.S. We would all learn not to take advantage of things. If we could see our world through the eyes of other people, I think our world would change.
What is your funniest or favorite work or school story?
A lot of my favorite memories are with my staff. One story in particular, Luis had just started working with us; he started during the first part of summer in CAMP ROCKS, so we had only known each other for about three months. It was late at night, and we all were walking back to our offices and apparently Luis took a different way to the office than Anita and me. When I got up there Luis was headed into his office, and I grabbed his backpack and I have never seen Luis more scared! Those type of memories I love; I love just getting to know our staff.
Another story was with a student. During CAMP ROCKS, we take all our students ziplining. We had a student who really wanted to do the zipline, but before you get to the zipline, you must cross a hanging bridge. I had gone across the bridge ahead of her to encourage her to get across. She was filled with every emotion, and she was so anxious that she was laughing and crying at the same time. I have never heard any funnier giggling, and her cheer when she got across was so encouraging because we want our students to succeed, and she had taken her first step with our program.
What do you do outside of Crowder/ your director jobs?
Often half of my weekends throughout the year I serve with my husband, representing our ministry at different churches or simple fundraisers. I also serve at Watered Gardens where I mentor ladies.
Who or what is your motivation for work or just in your daily life?
My motivation comes from God. I am a Christian and everything I do; I do for Him. I will not shy away from this answer because I am proud to be a Christian.
Who did you look up to growing up?
When I was younger, I looked up to my four brothers who were older than me. When I was older (20s-30s) I think that Mother Theresa was a role model to me, I became very interested in documentaries and books about her.
What is something encouraging someone told you that you will never forget?
I am not sure who said this, but the quote, “What other people think of me is none of my business.”
I also like the quote from Mother Theresa, “Peace begins with a smile.” That is what I try to do every day. My goal is to learn the names of the people at the homeless shelter I work at, but there is a man who doesn’t care what my name is; he just calls me “Smiley”. I believe that if we all smile more, life will be a lot better for people.
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