The Student Newspaper of Highline College

Laquita Fields

New leader helps Women’s Program to help others amid the pandemic

Elba Quijano Staff Reporter Nov 19, 2020

Highline’s Women’s Program is still helping students despite the pandemic continuing.

Laquita Fields is the new director of the Women’s Program. Fields previously worked as the WorkFirst Services Advising and Retention Coordinator and WISH Advisor for the past 13 years.

The Women’s Program staff supports the students in the way that best suit them, Fields said, whether it’s academic services to access resources or guidance.

“The goal is to promote student success by creating an accessible, safe and welcoming environment to all students and our surrounding community,” Fields said.

The Women’s Program is still able to work virtually as they navigate their way around the pandemic.

“I would say that we are doing quite well. Although we’re a small group, we manage to provide the same level of service as if we were in person or on campus,” Fields said.

The Women’s Program provides educational and support events, emergency assistance and community resources for students.

The program is available through Zoom lobbies, said Fields, with phone lines open and available if people would prefer to speak with someone rather than having a video conference.

To book an appointment with the Women’s Program—WorkFirst Services, visit workfirst@highline.edu

The Women’s Program is not just for women, but it helps bring awareness about information to women and the campus community, Fields said.  

There are two departments that are in the Women’s Program, Fields said: The Women’s Program, which helps bring information to women; and the Community and WorkFirst services, which provides the opportunity to practice skills learned at the student’s job site.

Among their efforts is “bringing awareness to such things as breast cancer, provide education surrounding body imagine — one’semotional attitudes, beliefs, and perceptions of their body,” Fields said.

The program provides a safe environment for students and college communities, said Fields. It supports people who are experiencing domestic violence and for those who want information to educate themselves.

“We offer financial coaching and referral to on and off campus resources. But we also support student-parents’ via the TANF/WorkFirst Services Program with tuition and cost of books for the quarter as they enroll and pursue a professional technical certificate or degree,” Fields said.

As there have been many changes within the college, there have also been changes within the program.

“We had some changes in staff and did some restructuring within the division. With these changes we hope to better serve students, and Women’s Program and WorkFirst Services supports these changes,” Fields said.

Fields said that with these changes, they hope to support students better.

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