Christina Solivan, of Lawrence, grew up with a passion for helping others. In listening to people’s stories and helping to empower them, she turned her interest into a career path. Understanding the need for more access to mental health support in her role as a Lead Community Health Worker at Vinfen in Lowell, Solivan decided to enroll at Middlesex Community College to earn a degree and advance her learning in the field.
“Working in this role really helped me realize how much I really enjoyed helping others and I wanted to get as much knowledge as I could to help me become a clinician one day,” Solivan said. “Coming to MCC has helped me and impacted my life in so many ways. Not just in my studies and helping me strengthen my current career path, but as a person as well. MCC was the best decision ever, especially when it comes to this career field.”
“Coming to MCC has helped me and impacted my life in so many ways. Not just in my studies and helping me strengthen my current career path, but as a person as well. MCC was the best decision ever, especially when it comes to this career field.” - Christina Solivan
For most of her career, Solivan has worked in human services, from a Certified Nurse Assistant to a Personal Career Attendant. Although she understands she may not be able to assist everyone, she believes by using the knowledge and skills she has earned through her education and training, she can “make the world a better place.”
“Along the way, one thing I’ve noticed even within my own mental health is that many don’t receive the help they need and struggle to get support,” Solivan said. “After actually working in the field, I set my mind on getting a degree in human services in hopes of helping many overcome these issues.”
In working while going to classes at MCC, Solivan has strengthened her understanding of the field and developed new skills. She appreciates the hands-on training Middlesex provides through clinical hours at her internship at Vinfen, as well as through classroom instruction. She also believes the support she has received from faculty has made a difference in her learning.
For helping her build a strong and compassionate communication style with clients, Solivan is grateful to her advisor Paulo Barrio, MCC’s Chair of Human Services, and Christine DeRosa, MCC Professor of Communications. She is also appreciative of English professors Gordon Curry and Jonathan Bennett for their Race, Class and Gender Honors course for “opening my eyes in so many ways I was closed off to.”
“The class helped me dive deep inside myself and helped me grow, teaching me how to address issues without having a one-sided approach as I once had,” she said. “I feel I have become a better, stronger, and more understanding human being. This is a course I feel should be a requirement for all within human services.”
Her experience at Middlesex has made Solivan certain she is on the right career path and on track to reach her goals. After she graduates from MCC, she plans to transfer to a four-year college before continuing on to earn a master’s to become a psychologist or social worker.
She credits MCC for building a great foundation for her career, as well as for offering the encouragement and guidance she needed to continue her education.
“I want to thank MCC for the support provided through their emergency grants, for providing me with the needed tools to continue to study when I did not have it, and for understanding my struggle through domestic violence and helping prevent homelessness,” Solivan said. “Thank you for providing the support needed for me to continue my dreams.”