Meet Julisa DeLeón, a young mother studying psychology at Mount Holyoke College.
Julisa first learned about The Care Center in the waiting room of a health clinic. Having dropped out of college twice, first because of financial constraints and then when she became pregnant, the supports offered by The Care Center (daycare, transportation, meals) were compelling. She enrolled in The Clemente Course in the Humanities, a college level course offered by The Care Center and Bard College, a week after her son Gabriel was born. She studied philosophy, art history, literature, writing and poetry.
“I was pumping milk on my breaks,” said Julisa, who was in good company at The Care Center where being a mother and student is the norm. After finishing the Clemente Course, Julisa was accepted to Bard Microcollege Holyoke. She earned an associate degree in 2019 and is now enrolled at Mount Holyoke College with plans to complete a bachelor’s degree in psychology.
Her ultimate goal is to open a homeless shelter – an aspiration that is personally meaningful to Julisa who has experience homelessness. “I’m compassionate for people who have fallen hard in life, so I guess that’s my contribution back.” Read more about Julisa and other Care Center students in The Valley Advocate’s May 2019 article.
