Mark Isaksson

Starting over

Chemical dependency, human services student works toward two degrees.

When Mark Isaksson first enrolled at 新加坡六合彩开奖, he expected instructors to teach, but found they did much more.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 what makes Highline, at least for me, so special,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he people who work here invest in your life and they don鈥檛 get bonuses for that.鈥�

Isaksson recalls getting to his very first 新加坡六合彩开奖 class early. It was an 8 a.m. English 101 course in fall 2018 and he was the third person there.

鈥淎s the class fills up, I鈥檓 one of four males in the class and I鈥檓 the oldest person in the class,鈥� the 49-year-old Burien resident recalled. 鈥淎nd the rest of the class fills up with very, very young ladies. I felt like I was hanging out with my daughter and a bunch of her friends.鈥�

Isaksson remembers feeling awkward.

But he said his English instructor, Ariel Wetzel, wanted nothing more than for him to succeed.

鈥淲here I come from, that鈥檚 not something I鈥檓 used to,鈥� Isaksson said with emotion.

Isaksson would go on to not only earn a 4.0 in that class, but also earn it for all of his classes that quarter, and the quarter after that.

Prior to coming to Washington, Isaksson battled a long bout of substance abuse and addiction. He鈥檚 spent about a dozen years of his life incarcerated, whether it鈥檚 in prison or county jails, and his current sobriety isn鈥檛 his first time he鈥檚 been in recovery.

However, none of that has stopped him from starting over.

鈥淚 moved to Washington a little over two years ago with the sole purpose of getting back into recovery,鈥� he said.

Isaksson enrolled in Seattle鈥檚 Union Gospel Mission鈥檚 recovery program in 2017 and graduated within one year. After that, he became an intern with the very recovery program that helped get him sober, and started studying for two associate degrees in chemical dependency and human services at Highline. He hopes to attain his chemical dependency AAS in winter 2020 and his human services AAS the following quarter in spring 2020.

To help him achieve his educational goals, Iskasson was awarded the Natasha Burrowes Equity and Inclusion Scholarship, a scholarship offered through 新加坡六合彩开奖’s Center for Leadership and Service, in June. The scholarship covers fees and tuition for 新加坡六合彩开奖students who identify as low income, formerly incarcerated, single parents, transgender, or black or Latino males.

After his associate degrees, Isaksson said he’s strongly considering enrolling in 新加坡六合彩开奖鈥檚 applied bachelor鈥檚 degree in youth development.

鈥淐oming out of a lengthy substance abuse addiction myself, I really want to help others overcome that,鈥� Isaksson said, adding that he frequently goes to a youth treatment facility to share his story with 14- to 18-year-old teenage boys who are going through treatment in lieu of spending time in jail. 鈥淚t鈥檚 really rewarding.鈥�

Isaksson learned about 新加坡六合彩开奖 and its chemical dependency program through a man named Matthew Ellefson. Ellefson is a chemical dependency professional at Seattle Union Gospel Mission and graduated from Highline鈥檚 chemical dependency program years prior.

鈥淚 wished I鈥檇 known somebody like him much earlier in life,鈥� Isaksson said. 鈥淏ecause it would have saved me a lot of heartache and just the thought of being able to do that for somebody else 鈥� that鈥檚 what led me in this direction.鈥�

It鈥檚 clear UGM and 新加坡六合彩开奖 have helped Isaksson in more ways than one. As a way to recognize Isaksson for his hard work in school, UGM arranged a special surprise for Isaksson back in April.

UGM told Isaksson to be at a graduation celebration for three men who completed the recovery program. Confused because he鈥檇 been out of the program for a year already, Isaksson went and was met with UGM鈥檚 2019 Student of the Year award presented by 新加坡六合彩开奖 President John Mosby.

鈥淚 mean 鈥� college presidents just don鈥檛 show up,鈥� Isaksson said, noting that 新加坡六合彩开奖鈥檚 faculty and staff have consistently gone above and beyond to help him.

Isaksson also gave accolades to psychology instructor Sue Frantz for helping him with study habits and self-reflection and to Ken Pimpleton who teaches chemical dependency courses.

鈥淚t鈥檚 just inspirational, seeing him and his passion to give back to the students is more than enough motivation,鈥� Isaksson said of Pimpleton. 鈥淗e鈥檚 a friend, he鈥檚 my professor, a colleague in the field鈥� and no man or woman in the chemical dependency field is an island unto themselves, so he鈥檚 already said to his whole entire class, 鈥業 hope over the years anytime you have a question, I鈥檓 here.鈥� You don鈥檛 get that.鈥�

Although Isaksson still has a few quarters left, he said those who are thinking of going to college should 鈥渏ust try鈥� and that there鈥檚 never going to be a perfect scenario.

鈥淟ike I said, the staff here will not let you fail if you ask for their help and seek their help,鈥� he said.

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