Teresa Caffin
Graduate praises RCC experience
When Rogue Community College graduate Teresa Caffin extols the benefits of education, she speaks from experience.
Caffin, who earned an Associate of General studies degree and graduated in June with honors, says RCC gave her the opportunity to reinvent herself after her world “turned upside down.” Shortly after moving to southern Oregon, her two young sons were diagnosed with autism, her marriage ended, and she needed to become self-sufficient.
Caffin had enjoyed a 14-year career as a sound and mastering engineer. She became associate director of engineering for Warner Brothers, where she worked on multiple platinum-selling recordings.
“I was successful and made a good living,” she recalled. But when her first son was born in 2003, and two years later a second child arrived, Caffin found it difficult to balance children with career. Her family moved to Oregon where her parents lived, “an opportunity to make ‘the great escape’ to a more family-friendly environment,” she said.
Then her sons were diagnosed with autism, and within a year of relocating, Caffin became a single parent who needed to support her family.
Thanks to RCC’s online classes, attending was possible and eventually led to Caffin’s choice of a nursing career. As her children grew older – they’re now 5 and 7 -- taking classes on campus also became an option.
“Classes at RCC have been a great experience,” she said. “I’ve met a lot of interesting people I wouldn’t have encountered. Instructors like Greg Marton are great and supportive. He holds you to very high standards but helps you achieve them.”
Marton, a Social Sciences instructor who nominated Caffin as commencement speaker, praised her bravery, intellect, and caring.
“Of the thousands of students I have taught at RCC, there have been a few truly exemplary individuals who stand out,” he said.
“Teresa is one of those students. In addition to her fine academic performance and her enthusiasm for the educational process, she clearly demonstrates qualities of creativity, leadership, sincerity, persistence, a keen ability to communicate, and a genuine compassion for others. Teresa is a courageous person,” Marton added.
Caffin, who earned a 3.9 grade point average and has been accepted into RCC’s Nursing program, spoke on behalf of many RCC graduates at commencement when she thanked her mom for her support.
“I know that families helping with childcare and resources is important to a lot of students. Without my mom’s help, there’s no way I would have been able to do this,” she noted.
Caffin plans to work in pediatrics with children with developmental disabilities, especially autism. “I will be a nurse,” she declares. She particularly enjoys connecting with other families of autistic youngsters and providing them support, information and encouragement.
“I know what it’s like to be there,” she said. “I want to be able to put together my personal experiences with my professional knowledge, be a resource and, of course, gain new skills to help my sons. And to become self-sufficient.”
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