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Sheila Corson didn’t take the traditional path to college, but she always knew she was headed there. Without a high school diploma, she needed a place that would help her bridge the gap and WVC’s Omak campus was the perfect fit. It allowed her catch up, explore her interests, and prepare for the next step, all while staying in her hometown.

Once she got to WVC, Sheila didn’t just attend classes, she took part in campus life. She joined clubs, made lifelong friends, and even worked on a student-run newspaper. One of her favorite memories? An April Fools’ prank that involved some highly questionable early-2000s Photoshop skills. The staff took their own faces and pasted them onto entirely different bodies for a joke “staff photo.” The result was so ridiculous it had the whole campus talking. “We thought we were graphic design geniuses,” she laughs.

That same creativity and energy shaped her career. After WVC, Sheila earned her master’s degree from Purdue in 2022 and built a career in communications. These days, she’s the Public Information Officer for a public utility while also teaching part-time as a communications professor at WVC, a goal she set for herself the year she graduated. On top of that, she mentors up-and-coming professionals, serves on multiple industry boards, and stays involved in her kids’ school.

Looking back, she says WVC gave her more than an education, it gave her confidence. “I started out shy and uncertain, and I left ready to take on the world.” Her advice to today’s students? “Get involved. You’ll never regret the friendships, the experiences, or the opportunities you take advantage of while you’re here.”