Growing up in a small town in Hartford County, Indiana, Bailey “Sunny” Funkhouser often would use her creative talents to help others and herself get through difficult times.

Following her high school graduation, she moved with a friend to Texas and explored different jobs but did not find any of them satisfying.

She eventually moved to Spring City, Pa., and then to Pottstown.

After hearing positive things about Montgomery County Community College from her friends, she enrolled in fall 2020.

She spent her free time crocheting and constructing Reborn Dolls, realistic dolls that people with depression and dementia use for therapeutic reasons.

“They make people happy, and I like to make others feel happy,” Funkhouser said.

Of her many artistic passions, writing is her favorite creative avenue and the one that she has decided to pursue as her career.

Shortly after registering, she received an email from MCCC about its new academic pathways program, the College Connections Experience.

CCE, funded by a U.S. Department of Education Title III grant, connects first-time college students with supportive resources, including free introductory classes in their first semester, textbook and laptop assistance, and academic, career, and financial advising.

“As part of the program, success coaches work one-on-one with students throughout the year,” said Laura Kline, CCE Director. “This helps students perform better academically, get involved with activities, and grow personally and professionally.”

However, Sunny Funkhouser did not always know what she wanted to do.

As a new college student, Funkhouser thought the program would help her focus on her goals, and she decided to try it. With the guidance she received through CCE, Funkhouser was off to a strong start at MCCC.

“School is going great, even better than I expected,” said Funkhouser, who feels she’s getting a solid foundation while honing her skills as a writer and exploring her other creative interests.

She credits CCE Success Coach Deanna Vokes with keeping her on track and moving in the right direction.

“She helped me with many resources and opportunities,” Funkhouser said. “I feel Deanna believes in me. If I have any problems, she shows me where I can get help.”

In addition to Vokes’ guidance, Assistant Professor Darryl Williams connected her with new opportunities that that help her to use her talents.

“He recognized my creative passion during a coaching session and encouraged me to try the theatre program,” she said.

Funkhouser auditioned for and performed in MCCC Theater Arts’ and Drama Club’s productions “Alice in Wonderland” and “The Interference” in November. The students spent hours on Zoom finding innovative ways to make the performances work in a virtual environment, which they successfully did.

During the winter break, Sunny Funkhouser performed in another smaller theatre production “Dracula.” In the spring, she was involved in an original play “Nothing is as it Seems: An Original Play Festival” with five other students, and she worked on writing the scripts.

“It was a collaborative process. We would work together during the meetings through zoom and share input. We all contributed to the scripts and the performances,” she said.

Besides theater, Funkhouser also has become involved in MCCC’s Writing Club, taking on a leadership role as vice president.

“We meet alternating weeks and do fun writing games that are good practice,” said Funkhouser, who enjoys writing stories for the young adult LGTBQ+ community to help empower young readers. She also collaborates with an illustrator in writing comics, and she likes writing horror stories, too.

Overall, her involvement at MCCC through the CCE program has helped to build her self-esteem.

“I was pretty shy in high school, mostly because I was bullied. Now, I have a lot more confidence, and I’ve become good at public speaking,” said Funkhouser, who is a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community.

Completing her first year at MCCC, Funkhouser feels good about her accomplishments, and especially about how far she has come.

“I struggled with dyslexia and had trouble reading. It took me longer to decide about college,” said Funkhouser, who is 24. “However, I’ve become stronger and have learned to overcome my challenges with audiobooks and text to speech.”

Now she knows she is on her way.

Her plans include earning her associate’s degree in Liberal Studies and then transferring to a four-year university where she will complete a bachelor’s degree in English and writing. Her career goal is to work as a copy editor or book editor.

Most of all, she wants to be able to use her talents and creativity to help others. MCCC and the CCE program not only helped Sunny Funkhouser realize this but also gave her the support and guidance she needed to make it happen.

The next cohort for MCCC’s College Connections Experience Program starts in fall 2021. For more information, email cce@mc3.edu.