Cal Maritime senior claims Hearst/CSU award
Posted: 09/24/2009 01:30:34 AM PDT
California Maritime Academy student Katherine Brookshier of Benicia has overcome adversity en route to a prized achievement award.
Brookshier, who once lived in a tent and barely graduated from high school because she was working to support her family, has won the William Randolph Hearst/California State University award.
Each year, each of the 23 CSU campuses can nominate a student. Winners, chosen on their superior academic performance and personal accomplishments, get $30,000.
Brookshier, 31, is a mechanical engineering major in her senior year. The third of six children, she focused in her teens on helping her financially hard-hit family rather than on her education, according to a school announcement.
After graduation, she took time off to save money and for cosmetology school, which she attended while working full time.
"I lost my job near the end, and wound up living in a tent for the last six months to make ends meet, but I kept my car, got my degree, and graduated tops in my class," she said.
Her career path led to jobs in health and beauty spas, and to work consulting and overseeing installation of a spa facility on a Hawaiian cruise liner. While in that position, people frequently asked her about her engineering background and she took that as a sign to check out a new discipline.
Since choosing Cal-Maritime to attend, Brookshier has secured numerous grants and loans to help pay for her education.
Brookshier has also worked as an assistant in the administration building and on the school's Golden Bear training ship.
Each year, each of the 23 CSU campuses can nominate a student. Winners, chosen on their superior academic performance and personal accomplishments, get $30,000.
Brookshier, 31, is a mechanical engineering major in her senior year. The third of six children, she focused in her teens on helping her financially hard-hit family rather than on her education, according to a school announcement.
After graduation, she took time off to save money and for cosmetology school, which she attended while working full time.
"I lost my job near the end, and wound up living in a tent for the last six months to make ends meet, but I kept my car, got my degree, and graduated tops in my class," she said.
Her career path led to jobs in health and beauty spas, and to work consulting and overseeing installation of a spa facility on a Hawaiian cruise liner. While in that position, people frequently asked her about her engineering background and she took that as a sign to check out a new discipline.
Since choosing Cal-Maritime to attend, Brookshier has secured numerous grants and loans to help pay for her education.
Brookshier has also worked as an assistant in the administration building and on the school's Golden Bear training ship.
