After high school, Rudy Castillo wanted to continue his education, but he was working full time and was not sure he could fit it into his schedule.
“I needed an affordable college that allowed me the flexibility to work full time during the week,” Rudy said. “Then I learned about Collin Weekend College.”
Collin Weekend College is one of Collin College’s popular alternatives for earning a degree. It provides students with the flexibility to complete their education on the weekends and maintain a balanced family and work life.
This alternative offers a variety of weekend degree plans depending on what works best for the student’s schedule.
“Collin Weekend College is another opportunity to accelerate your academic progress for those whose family or professional responsibilities make it difficult to attend classes during the week,” said Gaye Cooksey, dean of Collin Weekend College.
For Rudy, this was an amazing opportunity for him to continue to work while also receiving a well-rounded education at Collin.
After graduating from Collin with an Associate of Science degree in December 2010, Rudy transferred to Texas A&M University-Commerce, where he received his Bachelor of Science in Biology and then later his Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences from the University of North Texas Health Science Center.
After achieving his educational goals, he returned to Collin Weekend College as an adjunct professor to help students looking for the same opportunities once offered to him.
Following in his footsteps, his wife, Ashley, also worked full time and needed the flexibility to achieve her dream of becoming a respiratory therapist.
Ashley graduated in May 2012 with an Associate of Science in Respiratory Care at Collin. She is now a respiratory therapist with Texas Health Resources. She has also returned to Collin Weekend College as an adjunct professor in the program from which she graduated.
“As Collin students, we felt the same sense of pride and camaraderie that we see in the students we serve. We also received lots of support from faculty, especially as we dealt with jobs, family, and struggles in the classroom,” Rudy said. “As faculty, we try to relate and support students when they share a journey similar to ours.”
Cooksey said Collin Weekend College’s student population could include those seeking to accelerate their academic progress, people looking for a career change, single or stay-at-home parents, or those wanting to re-enter the workforce.
“One of the missions for Collin College is to pave as many avenues as possible for individuals to achieve their educational goals,” Cooksey said.
For Rudy and Ashley Castillo, Collin Weekend College was the best opportunity to grow in their educational and workforce careers.
“Collin Weekend College allowed us to work and attend school, and it offers a balance between school, work life, and family,” Rudy said.
For more information on Collin Weekend College and see if it is the best fit for you, visit www.collin.edu/academics/weekendcollege/.