STCC provides a transformative experience for 2023 Dental Hygiene graduate

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Alexandra Fuller used to think she was destined to work a minimum wage job for the rest of her life.

But two years ago, she committed to studying at Springfield Technical Community College with a determination to succeed. She will receive her degree in Dental Hygiene in May 2023 and is on track to start a rewarding career. She hopes to apply her skills to help those who are less fortunate in the community.

Fuller, 35, marvels at her transformation. She didn’t think she would become the person she is today when she was growing up in West Springfield as one of five siblings with divorced parents. She described a difficult childhood. When she was a senior in high school, her family lost their home and Fuller moved in with a best friend.

In 2005, she graduated from high school, but she said she didn’t have any guidance and was not sure what she wanted to do.

Fuller joined the Army and served from 2006 to 2015. Military service gave her an opportunity to travel to Morocco and Trinidad. During this time, at the young age of 19, she got pregnant and became a mother in 2007.

Facing financial hardship, she drove back to her home state of Massachusetts with her 2-year-old daughter.

“I was at rock bottom and had to start my life all over again as a single mom,” she said. “I wanted a safe and stable life for my daughter. I didn’t want her to grow up and make the same bad decisions and go down wrong paths like I did.”

She worked as a receptionist and received public assistance to support her daughter. Slowly, she rebuilt her life. Fuller remarried. Her husband Casey was an STCC student who attended for two years before transferring to Bentley University in Waltham for his bachelor’s degree in finance. 

In 2021, Fuller decided she was ready to commit to college. She applied and was accepted into the competitive Dental Hygiene program at STCC for fall 2021. During her time at STCC, she said she found her voice. She pushed herself to achieve goals, knowing she had her three children looking up to her. She kept her grades up, earning a spot on the dean’s list.

Fuller served as president of her Dental Hygiene class, the District I student delegate for the American Dental Hygienists’ Association (ADHA) and received the Massachusetts Dental Hygiene Association scholarship award for her outstanding performance and dedication to dental hygiene. In spring 2023, she received the Teresina B. Thompson Award, a scholarship from the STCC Foundation given to an outstanding student.

I never would have imagined I would be where I am today. I was able to buy my own house and I am about to graduate from the Dental Hygiene program. Alexandra Fuller '23 STCC Dental Hygiene Program graduate

Mary “Meg” Loadholt, Associate Professor in Dental Hygiene and the program chair, said she was impressed by Fuller’s passion and drive.

“This is the conclusion of my 33^rd year of teaching in both Dental and Dental Hygiene programs, and I have never met a student that is half as passionate about entering the dental profession as Alexandra,” Loadholt said. “I believe that Alex is looking at graduating as the beginning of her career and the beginning of her mission to provide community service and participate in outreach programs to those less fortunate. 

“This is not going to be ‘just a job’ for her,” Loadholt said. “I’m excited to see how high she can climb. I’m predicting that Alex will make her mark on the dental world not only locally, but at both the state and the national level. I am extremely proud of her and her accomplishments and wish her a bright future.”

While it wasn’t easy, Fuller said she found the Dental Hygiene Program rewarding and praised the faculty for their support and guidance.

“I am so proud to be a part of this program and I recommend it to anyone,” she said. “This program and the professors have supported and encouraged us. It’s a great program to get your career started.”

In spring 2023, she secured a job at Holyoke Health Center, which provides low cost services to the community.

“I will have the opportunity to go to the VA (veterans administration) to provide dental hygiene care, and I will also have the opportunity to perform outreach to schools to make sure that all children in the area have access to affordable quality oral health care,” she said. “It’s honestly everything I wanted in my career.”

Reflecting on her journey, she said STCC offered her a path toward a better life.

Today, she and her husband have a home with three children together and three golden retrievers.

“I never would have imagined I would be where I am today,” she said. “I was able to buy my own house, and I am about to graduate from the Dental Hygiene program."

Watch a video of Alexandra Fuller reflecting on STCC and the Dental Hygiene program.

Interested in applying to STCC? Visit stcc.edu/apply or call Admissions at (413) 755-3333. Use this link to learn more about the Dental Hygiene Program.

About Springfield Technical Community College

STCC, the Commonwealth's only technical community college, continues the pioneering legacy of the Springfield Armory with comprehensive and technical education in manufacturing, STEM, healthcare, business, social services, and the liberal arts. STCC's highly regarded workforce, certificate, degree, and transfer programs are the most affordable in Springfield and provide unequaled opportunity for the vitality of Western Massachusetts. Founded in 1967, the college – a designated Hispanic Serving Institution – seeks to close achievement gaps among students who traditionally face societal barriers. STCC supports students as they transform their lives through intellectual, cultural, and economic engagement while becoming thoughtful, committed and socially responsible graduates.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Jim Danko, (413) 755-4812, jdanko@stcc.edu

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