Alumni Spotlight: Maria Wooten

Major at Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe College: AA in Human Services, (University of Wisconsin-Superior, Bachelor of Science in Social Work)

I just began my new career as the Director of the new LCO Child Care Center: Genawendaawasong. This is a brand-new childcare center to our community, and I am excited to be a part of the team that brings this center together to help the needs of our working families and to serve children of students at the college so that they can attend school.

Tribal Affiliation is Lac Courte Oreilles, I was a non-traditional student, I worked a full-time job and attended college in between working, evenings, and on weekends.

I always knew I was going to go to college because I love to learn and read everything. I was originally accepted into UW-Superior and was to go after high school, but I gave birth to my son the day after my high school graduation. I held off a couple years on college to raise my son and a few years later I started my first degree at LCOOCC. It was really helpful to me that LCOOCC had a partnership with some universities and all my credits were able to transfer to UW-Superior and fast-track me into my Junior year for my BA degree in Social Work.

Attending school in my community means so much. I was able to stay close to my children and work a full-time job while I attended school. We have so many great resources right in our home community, you just have to get out and figure out which one’s works for you and fits your needs.

Attending LCOOCC, I was able to participate in cultural activities and cultural classes that the college offers. Some of the cultural classes I was able to attend and benefit from were Tribal Government, Traditional Bag Weaving, Introduction to Ojibwe Culture, and workshops that included: moccasin making, jingle dressmaking, star-quilt making, traditional foods at the LCOOCC farm, and many more