There's no place like home ...

By Karen Lanier

Visiting Midland College feels like being at home - that's what MC graduate Lynn Blakeney Rogers, a first-generation-to-college student, said about her alma mater.

Rogers, director of public relations for Casa de Amigos, graduated from MC in 2006 with an associate of arts degree in general studies.

"My parents always encouraged me to go to college. We looked for financial aid and I worked through college, which is another reason it took me a little longer to finish," Rogers said. "My parents helped me as much as they could financially, but more importantly, they helped me realize how important it is to get an education."

Rogers said when she was growing up she thought that in order to be successful in life one had to go away to a big-name college, but she discovered that just was not true.

"Overall my experience at Midland College was a positive one, mostly because of the teachers I had. Quite a few of my teachers had a passion for what they were doing and they wanted the students to learn," Rogers said. "They made whatever subject they taught interesting, and they were enthusiastic. Because of the MC faculty, I wanted to learn more."

She quickly named six teachers who had a positive influence on her: Jerry Franks, government; Andrea Zabel, psychology; Rabon Bewley, instrumental music; Joe Willis, speech; Paul Jerek, history; and Rebecca Watson, English.

"After I left MC and went to UTPB, my picture was in the Midland newspaper for something. Ms. Watson took the time to mail me the clipping. I thought that was very nice," Rogers said.

Rogers earned her bachelor of arts in mass communications from the University of Texas of the Permian Basin (UTPB) in May 2010. She began working at Casa de Amigos in September 2010.

The day of this interview Rogers was at the Midland College Advanced Technology Center taking a Dreamweaver software class.

"I'm learning about designing and updating websites, something we would like to start doing 'in house' at Casa," Rogers said.

"As director of public relations I have many areas to cover. From producing the newsletter, 'Casa Caller,' to writing press releases and public service announcements to planning larger events, I enjoy the variety," Rogers said.

Casa is the home of the AmeriC orps program in Midland. One of Rogers' larger events was AmeriCorps Week last May. She helped coordinate an event with the Midland Independent School District that was held at the Mashburn building downtown. Mayor Wes Perry and Superintendent Ryder Warren were among the dignitaries who honored the current AmeriCorps students.

AmeriCorps is a program of the Corporation for National and Community Service, an independent federal agency whose mission is to improve lives, strengthen communities and foster civic engagement through service and volunteering. In addition to AmeriCorps, the corporation also administers Senior Corps and Learn and Serve America. Together these programs engage more than two million Americans of all ages and backgrounds in service each year.

"Dr. Warren is a proponent of AmeriCorps and the literacy project the members are doing at the five Title I schools in Midland. Twenty-eight AmeriCorps members tutor at Crockett, DeZavala, Travis, South and Milam elementary schools," Rogers said.

Another Casa program is the "Life Skills for Self Sufficiency." The free program offers "tools for today, tomorrow and a love of life." according to a Casa pamphlet.

"We offer workshops on parenting, budgeting, building a stronger you and cooking," Rogers said.

For the cooking workshop, the Texas Agrilife Extension sends two experts, Lindy Tefteller and Janet Matschul, to teach workshop attendees about food preparation, nutrition, safe food handling and how to stretch food dollars.

"One thing they teach is how to buy a less expensive cut of meat and cook it in a way that maximizes its flavor," Rogers said. "They also bring all kinds of freebies. I learned about the cuts of meat and which one is best for what ... and they gave us a 'meat chart' to take home. In fact, people usually leave with a bag of helpful goodies."

Rogers also said that many times those attending are new parents, and they wonder what is safe or unsafe to feed to their children.

"We also offer a GED program that is usually filled to capacity," Rogers said. "Recently, we had a mom and daughter going through the GED program together. It's nice because they are helping each other."

If Casa's GED classes are full, they send students to Midland College's GED program.

Working together with area businesses and non-profits is an important part of Casa de Amigos' success, Rogers said.

Rogers said that she benefitted from Midland College and UTPB working together.

"I was able to take some upper-level courses on the MC campus and counselors from both schools were helpful by advising me when I could do a course at MC instead of UTPB," she said.

Rogers' hobbies include hunting, Rhino Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and working with kindergarteners at Stonegate Fellowship.

"We eat what we kill," she said about hunting. She said she prefers bird hunting. "I've been hunting since I was old enough to shoot a gun."

Rogers not only found good teachers at MC, she also found her future husband.

"Cole and I started dating while we were at MC and married five years later--," Rogers said.

"I am fortunate that I get to visit the campus regularly to attend the club fair or job fair or some other event. It feels like home," Rogers said.