Candy Wedlow (center) stopped by today to visit with Vanessa Van Goethem-Piela (left) and me.

Candy is a 2001 graduate of DeLaSalle. She entered DeLaSalle in 1999 with a small child and a desire to finish her education and find a career to use her talents and to support her son.

As a result of our Pathways Program with Penn Valley Community College, Candy earned over a semester's worth of college credit before she even graduated from DeLaSalle! Within two years, she graduated from Penn Valley with an associates degree in business. She did all of this while working full-time as a business manager for the Kansas City CALL newspaper, where she continues to work to this day.

It's worth noting that Candy is the third DeLaSalle graduate to be employed at the CALL, the Midwest's leading newspaper for the African-American community. Candy's eight years of steady emplyment with the CALL in a highly responsible position demonstrates the caliber of student served at DeLaSalle.

I've known the Wedlow family since Candy's older sister, Raneissa Wedlow, went to school here in 1994. Raneissa participated in a student exchange program with Arusha, Tanzania in 1995, climbing Mount Kilimanjoro, and learning about the African culture. Raneissa graduated in 1996, and has been also working steadily ever since in the child development field.

Raneissa and Candy have had their share of difficulties in life, but they share a resiliency and a hopefulness that are inspiring!