October 1, 2018 | by: Berks County Living

Suzanne Christie: Director of the Tutoring Centers at RACC | Age: 74 | Wyomissing 

According to Suzanne’s daughter Heather, “While most seniors are slowing down as they enter their golden years, my mom zips around Berks creating goodwill wherever she travels.” During her tenure at Reading Area Community College (RACC), Suzanne has turned the school’s tutoring centers into “a resort-like oasis,” and that’s just her day job. 

Preparing for the Future
As director of RACC’s tutoring centers, Suzanne not only coordinates the tutors and programming for all four of the college’s tutoring centers, she’s also the Campus Academic Coach, working one-on-one with students to share strategies that promote academic excellence. 

Among the many programs she has implemented, perhaps the most successful have been Finals De-Stress Week, Math and Writing Awareness Months, and Poets and Writers’ Teas. She is also in the midst of implementing a peer mentoring program that pairs successful upperclassmen with incoming freshmen. “I have so many students tell me they wished they had someone to go to for help navigating their first year, so we’ve started the mentoring program. I’m really excited about it,” Suzanne says.

Preserving the Past
It was her passion for helping students that also launched Suzanne’s side hustle, Suzanne Christie Antiques. She bought her first vintage dresses to use in fashion shows to benefit children at risk. Twenty years later, Suzanne is a premier source for vintage clothing and antiques. 

She spends her weekends searching for treasures at auctions and sells her discoveries at Adams Antiques, Denver, Pa.. “It’s been really fun. You never know who is going to come looking for something,” she says. And she has had some interesting customers. Her wares have appeared on HBO’s Boardwalk Empire, on the television movie The Life of Lizzie Borden, and in photoshoots for Ralph Lauren. New York designers seek her out to buy clothing and props, and she has had customers visit her stand from all over the world. 

Embracing the Present
Despite her busy work schedule, Suzanne always makes time for her family. She regularly babysits her eight grandchildren and attends as many of their soccer games, lacrosse matches and dance recitals as possible. 

Her focus on family is so important that she has taken on yet another project. With the help of her daughter and granddaughter, Suzanne is bringing the grassroots phenomenon “Listen to Your Mother” to Berks. On Mother’s Day 2019 they will host local writers at Wilson High School to share their stories about motherhood. “It’s three generations working on the project, and it’s to give a microphone to motherhood,” Suzanne explains. “We think it’s going to be a great platform for writers to showcase their talents.” 

With more projects on her plate than ever, Suzanne shows no signs of slowing down. In fact, she says, “There’s nothing I want to give up, and I feel like RACC’s my second home! I’m probably going to be 100 and they’ll be asking me when I’m going to retire.” Until then, she is simply grateful for her health, her family, and her ability to do it all. 

Reading Area Community College president Dr. Susan D. Looney, and Northampton Community College president Dr. Mark H. Erickson sign a cooperative agreement which will provide affordable and accessible training for respiratory care therapists and medical laboratory technicians in Berks and Lehigh Counties.

Join us as we celebrate Dr. Looney's Presidential Inauguration with a 2 mile Family Fun Run on Saturday, October 6th!

The run will start at 10AM on RACC campus and follow along the Schuylkill River Trail with a turnaround at Baer Park. There will be refreshments provided after the race.

Pre-register by September 20th to be guaranteed a free t-shirt. You may also register on the day of the race at 9AM in the Raven's Lounge on RACC campus.

The run is free to participate. Donations are greatly appreciated, and will support student scholarships through the Foundation for RACC. Donate to the Foundation for RACC!

Growing up in the foster care system, Missy Hassler faced some challenges, but she continually pushed forward. “It definitely taught me not to give up and not to wait for things to be handed to me - go out and get them yourself.” And now that’s exactly what she intends to do at RACC.

Missy graduated from Brandywine Heights in 2002 and dreamed of becoming a lawyer. “After high school, I received a certificate to become a legal secretary to get my foot in the door,” Missy stated, “but discovered I could make more money tending bar.”

It was not until Missy’s son was born that she realized it was time to find a different job. As she searched the classified ads, she realized that starting a career would be more difficult then she thought. She landed a job as a Member’s Specialist at the Greater Reading Chamber Alliance, but also decided to start pursuing her dreams. “I’m at a point in my life where I can handle school, and work toward not only my future, but my son’s as well.”

Many friends referred Missy to RACC to continue her education. “RACC is full of community-minded individuals, right from the start in admissions to the faculty and students. My teachers are very supportive and my fellow students are friendly and kind. The overall atmosphere on the campus is pleasant.” Missy admits that she was nervous about enrolling and concerned about finances, but RACC’s streamlined application process and the knowledgeable financial aid department made it easy to follow.

RACC is already making a difference in her current position at the Chamber. The quality education she is receiving has made her more comfortable and well-versed in a business setting. “Confidence can only come with knowledge and that’s what RACC is providing me.”

Missy is majoring in Criminal Justice with the hopes of becoming a private detective. “I feel this is an excellent career choice and, not only do I think I’ll excel at it, but I think it will be helpful for my community as well.” For Missy, RACC is exactly what she needed to make her dreams come true. “I believe it’s never too late! If you have a dream, follow it and don’t stop until you see it come to fruition.”

Republished from Safe Berks NEWS, Summer 2018
 
The students, faculty and staff of Reading Area Community College (RACC) worked throughout the 2017-18 school year to raise funds to help Safe Berks. All their hard work came together as students gathered on campus to celebrate the annual RACCy Olympics, where they competed in fun games, including a hula hoop contest.
 
The RACCy Olympics culminated in the presentation of a huge check to Safe Berks. When the real check arrived at Safe Berks soon after the event, the staff felt a combination of gratitude and awe. The check was for $11,156! Those funds will be used to help renovate the Safe Berks Playground. The students raised the funds by completing a series of fundraisers, including selling candy bars, selling tickets to a bus trip to Washington D.C., and selling ads in a RACCy Olympics program book. Each year, students vote to decide which local non-profit to help.
 
“At RACC we feel that it is important to teach our students to become future leaders in our community,” said Kimberly Uphold, Student Life Coordinator at RACC. “One of the ways we chose to encourage that growth is through RACCy Olympics. We all truly care about our community and hope to teach our students that the best way to help and change things is by taking action. Our staff and faculty chose to participate because RACC is a community and we feel it is important for us, as leaders of RACC, to also set the example for our students. Our students understood the need for the children at Safe Berks to have a nice safe environment. When they found out that the funds they were raising were going to build the playground, they were very excited.”

PHOTO CAPTION: From left, Francine Scoboria of Safe Berks, and Daniel Faudree, Kathy Torres, and Kim Upland, of RACC.