Hayat Saleh

All of the students come from different backgrounds and know different cultures. It’s a community where I feel like I’m welcomed."

"Some people may come to TCC with low confidence because they’re from a different culture and may not speak the language well. But they shouldn’t give up because they are capable of being here and they, too, can be successful.

I came to the U.S. when I was 5 years old from Yemen and started school here in Tacoma, graduating from Wilson High School in 2015. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do in the future and explored all types of fields. When I looked into Health Information Technology at TCC, I decided that it interested me. So, I started the program here.

The classes in the HIT program like statistics and medical coding were challenging, but I reached out to the Business Education Center and Writing and Tutoring Center for help. I also learned how to reach out to my classmates for help. Finding this support made me feel better and helped me realize that I’m not by myself. We can all help each other!

I finished the HIT program in the winter of 2018 while also working as a tutor in the Writing and Tutoring Center. Now, I’ve decided to enroll in TCC’s Health Information Management program, a Bachelors of Applied Science degree. I’ll start in the fall of 2018. HIM will prepare me for a manager position, leading and supervising the health information work in a health care setting.

I’m also starting full-time work this month at Conifer Health Solutions working as a HIM health specialist. I got this job through a two-month internship in the HIT program.

One of the main things I like about TCC is that everyone is nice. As a Muslim wearing a scarf, I’ve never experienced racism here. All of the students come from different backgrounds and know different cultures. It’s a community where I feel like I’m welcomed."