There’s no better mentor for a student than someone who has walked the same path and gone through the same uncertainty of ‘what’s next’ when it comes to education.
Jacobie Backstrom, program coordinator, TRIO Student Support Services, understands firsthand the reluctance some have about community college. He also knows how to use his own experience to illuminate the benefits of attending a place like LSC-North Harris.
Backstrom was born and raised in Houston and graduated from Nimitz High School in 2012. An engaged and bright student, Backstrom never focused on life after high school or took the time to explore his options.
“Every time I was asked what I wanted to major in or what I wanted to do by my teachers, family members, or a stranger, I would instantly make something up because I didn’t want to be judged for not knowing my plans,” Backstrom recalls.
With nothing but false narratives about community college, Backstrom enrolled at LSC-North Harris with only one thing on his mind, getting out fast and qualifying to attend a four-year university.
Meetings with an advisor quickly persuaded Backstrom to give the school a chance and see that it had more to offer than affordable courses.
“The mentors that I connected with throughout those two years were always available to answer my questions, ask me questions, challenge my answers, and take an interest in me,” Backstrom said. “LSC-North Harris helped shape me personally, academically, and socially.”
It wasn’t long before Backstrom achieved what he reflects on as his most impactful life event – graduating debt-free with his associate degree and qualifying for a four-year university.
Backstrom earned his bachelor’s degree in Communication Studies from the University of Houston-Downtown and is now pursuing a master’s degree in Education Administration from Texas Southern University.
But it was his first college, the one that showed him the limits he thought were holding him back were all in his mind, that he felt calling him to return so he could open the eyes of future students the same way his mentor had done for him a few years earlier.
“As a student, LSC-North Harris allowed me to begin again,” Backstrom said. “If it were not for LSC-North Harris, I would have never known that I would be capable of studying abroad in China, being accepted to a university, and graduating with my associate degree, bachelor’s degree, and on my way to a master's degree.”
The plan is clear now. There’s no more off the cusp excuse when Backstrom is questioned about what he wants to do – provide the same experience, and if possible, an even better experience, as he had when he was a student here.
“I want students to be inspired with the fact that it can be done,” Backstrom said. “I become their voice in the projects and committees that I am a part of.”
Over time, Backstrom’s struggles became the fuel for his passion, and now that he’s found his calling, he can help others find theirs.
Jacobie Backstrom, program coordinator, TRIO Student Support Services