Student Success Story in the Making
On May 11 Bethanie Bird will graduate from Trinidad State Junior College. She has three goals: continuing her education, opening a non-profit to work with adolescents, and learning to walk again.
Bird grew up a military dependent, living in eleven different states and two countries. She graduated from high school 21 years ago, at the age of 16. In high school she was Student Body President, a cheerleader, member of the jazz band and varsity soccer and swim teams.
After high school, her life quickly spiraled downward as drugs and alcohol took over. Domestic violence including a failed marriage, drugs, trouble with the law and incarceration would follow until the influence of a powerful mentor entered Bird’s life. Her life began to turn around. Bird became involved in a therapeutic community where therapist Carol Dahlinger took Bird under her wing and still mentors her to this day. Inspired by Dahlinger’s example Bird took all of Dahlinger’s recovery classes and she too became a mentor. While incarcerated, Bird earned a cosmetology certificate and license, a trade in which she would work her first job after her move to Community Corrections in Alamosa in December of 2009.
In January of 2010 Bird met her current husband, Scott. In August they both began taking classes at TSJC during which time their relationship blossomed. They were married on December 17th, 2010. “He’s my life. He’s my best friend. He completes me,” said Bird. “Coming to the valley was a gift from God. That’s how I look at it. As long as we’re together and we both get to pursue our educational goals, it’s okay. I know there’s a plan for us both.”
In September of 2010 Bird’s right arm was injured in an accident which, after an unsuccessful surgery, left her with RSD, a complex pain syndrome. Despite her condition and fifteen surgeries which left her with permanent damage resulting in limited use and constant pain, she continued on with classes. Bird has been an exemplary student who has maintained a 4.0 throughout. She is President of PTK (Phi Theta Kappa – a national honor society for two-year colleges), and secretary for Student Leadership as well as for PBL (Phi Beta Lambda – a national business organization for college students.) In 2010 she, along with other club members, won first place in parliamentary procedure at a PBL competition and qualified for nationals. Due to surgery, Bird was unable to compete at the national competition, but she was instrumental in spear heading fund raising for the event. The club assembled and sold a cookbook and hosted many noon lunches on campus. She has been a work study for the Math/English Departments, has tutored students, and assisted staff and students at TSJC on numerous occasions. She, along with her husband, Scott, volunteered to set up a great club display for the first Homecoming celebration at the TSJC Valley Campus.
In November of 2011 Bird underwent spinal cord surgery to have a stimulator implanted. The surgery did not deliver the anticipated results. Her RSD spread to her left leg and she is currently confined to a wheel chair. But this is not deterring this unstoppable, tenacious woman who will graduate in May along with her husband, Scott, who will be pursing his interest in pipe welding.
In March Bird was accepted at the University of Oklahoma Sooners where she will pursue both a BA and a Masters in Human Relations while she learns to walk again.
