In the early 1970s in Guatemala City, Lizette Drennan’s father was hounding her to become a teacher. But it’s not what she wanted to do.
She wanted to learn English and undertake a grand adventure to the United States through an exchange program in search of different opportunities. In 1973, she found herself at Fort Vancouver High School. Forty years later, at age 65, she hasn’t left Clark County.
Instead, she’s helping students get the money they need to cover tuition as a scholarships specialist at Clark College, where she has worked for 28 years. With an office nestled in Gaiser Hall, Drennan spends her days talking with students and researching what “free” money is available out there to pay for students’ educations.
“Who’s going to pay for your education after high school? Have you asked your mom and dad who’s going to pay it for you?” Drennan asked, rhetorically. “They have no clue.”
That was the case for Esmeralda “Vita” Blanco, who wandered into Clark College in December 2015 to go through the college’s high school diploma program. She was 37 then, a single mom with two daughters. Now 39, she has received enough scholarships to finish her education at Clark, with a projected graduation this coming spring quarter.
“I almost gave up probably three different times, but every time, I had my faith and knowing that I can trust something is coming through,” Blanco said. “Recently I just received five scholarships for fall-winter and spring to finish off.”
Rewind to the early 1990s. Blanco was out on the streets of Fresno, Calif., after what she said was an abusive home life. One of 27 siblings, she said her father had kicked her out of the house. She made her way to Vancouver in 1995 at age 15, she said, with a few of her brothers. They abused drugs and alcohol, she said, so she tried to live on her own. She became pregnant at 17 and worked at Taco Bell full time, she said.
After that, she was hired at a local dental office as an assistant and promoted to an office manager. Wanting more ways to support her children, she decided she wanted to receive her diploma. Blanco said that as a Mexican-American, work ethic often is prioritized over education.
“You work, work, work, versus going to school. I was told that all of these years and (lived in) a culture of ‘You’re not going to do it, you’re not as smart, you’re not like the people who have that ability or the income,’ ” she said.
The first scholarship she received was through the Clark College Foundation — $1,000 for students who complete their high school diploma program. Then she kept working on her education at the persistence of Drennan.
“So my day is helping them. They come here, researching for scholarships and putting money into their account,” Drennan said.
Enrollment has been dwindling at Clark College as the job market improves, Drennan acknowledged, but during the 2017-2018 academic year, the foundation still awarded 625 scholarships and other types of assistance, equal to more than $1 million.
More than 40 percent of Clark College’s student body is considered low income, according to spokeswoman Hannah Erickson, “so the need is huge.”
Drennan understands the struggles of navigating complicated systems and paperwork. She had to navigate the process to receive a visa to come to the United States.
“It took me almost seven months to get all the paperwork with immigration and the embassy, and being in communication with the Clark College International Department,” she said. She bounced around a few times between a host family in Seattle, but eventually settled in Vancouver.
Today, when students walk in to see her, her brain immediately starts firing.
“At the time they’re giving me their story, my brain is going, my files are going, I’m thinking ‘OK, this is the type of student I’m looking for,’ ” she said.
There are scholarships for just about every type of student — be it veterans, single parents, and others. It’s just a matter of putting the effort in to research the opportunities, both Blanco and Drennan said.
“It takes hours,” Blanco said. “It’s overwhelming when you have a lot of homework and kids, or something else comes up in life.” Though she has struggled through the process, she plans to persevere and transfer to Washington State University Vancouver to earn her bachelor’s degree in communications and public speaking — possibly reaching for a master’s degree after that.
But seeing success stories like Blanco’s — and running marathons — is what keeps Drennan going, though she may retire in 10 more years.
She also volunteers at graduation ceremonies.
“I have to see them, because that’s when I’m complete,” Drennan said. “The money is there. I want the future to be better than what we have.”
