Student Spotlight: Relonda Love
“Completing a degree that is unique to you is not only possible, but it’s needed”
Brooklyn Park, April 25, 2024
Her interest in attending college began as she helped her youngest child navigate their high school classes during the Covid-19 Pandemic. As the first person in her family to complete a college degree, she wanted to create a good example, but needed the flexibility to pursue her education on her own terms.
Meet Relonda Love; mother of four, grandmother, student leader, community advocate, and soon-to-be graduate of Hennepin Technical College.
“Over the years, I worked with auto mechanics, in carpentry, and in child care.” Curious about college, Relonda researched programs. “I tried looking into other schools, but it didn’t work out.” she said. “My daughter was taking classes and asked me for help. While working at her school, I met Lucky and he told me about Hennepin Tech. I started in the Child Development program in 2020. After a while, I decided it wasn’t for me. I needed a change.” She found the support she needed to discover new educational options with help of the Child Development program faculty. Wanting to apply the credits she had earned toward a different degree, she was introduced to the idea of an Individual Studies Associates of Applied Sciences degree.
Through consultation with her program advisor, Relonda was able to blend courses from Sociology, Criminal Justice, and Health Sciences to build an Associate’s degree that focused her coursework to meet the needs for a career in criminal justice. “The courses that grabbed my attention were Race in America and Criminal Justice. I saw right away how my Interpersonal Communications classes and health sciences classes worked together,” she continued. “When you work in criminal justice, you’re working on the whole person. It’s all connected.”
As she progressed with her courses, Relonda discovered academic and career development and job search services, like TRIO, tutoring, and Access Services. “I like that there is a lot of support on campus and I learned that sometimes you have to ask for what you need. I would have never made it through without Lucky in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Jonathan in TRIO, and all the other staff and faculty.” Relonda also became active on campus, volunteering and becoming employed as a student worker, as well as leading the Blacks Rising in Education and Academics (BREA) student club.
“A Bachelor’s degree is definitely in my future!” Relonda expressed. “This degree has helped me take what I was interested in and make it into a career. Completing a degree that is unique to you is not only possible, but it’s needed.”
After graduation in May, Relonda plans to continue her undergraduate education in Individualized Studies at Metro State University in St. Paul.
About Hennepin Technical College
Founded in 1972, Hennepin Technical College is the largest stand-alone technical college in Minnesota. With campuses in Brooklyn Park and Eden Prairie, the college offers degree and non-degree courses in over 40 programs in the skilled trades and high-demand career fields. Achieving a high job placement rate, Hennepin Tech prepares students for high-paying employment opportunities.