Raymond Patak ('21) and Lauren Patak ('21)
Raymond says “After high school I joined the navy and completed six years as a Nuclear
Electrician on submarines. After the navy I worked as a boiler service technician
for four years. My wife decided to go back to Navarro College to finish her degree
and thought that it was about time for me to get one as well. Now we will be graduating
together.
Navarro College has helped me achieve things I never knew were possible, such as getting into an ivy league school. The professors are always there to help with any problem no matter who the student is and they work hard to help ensure the students success. My most impactful professors were Professor Dammon for Comp I and II, Professor Pattison for Algebra, and Professor Hawk for Physical Science.”
Lauren says “I attended Navarro College back in 2012 right after High School. I realized after a couple of semesters that I wasn't ready for school at that time. Fast forward to 2017, my husband and I had just bought a home here in Corsicana. We had lived here for a good year before we both decided that it was time to go back to school. I was nervous to go back into the classroom since I was going to be a little bit older than my other classmates, and because I hadn’t been in a classroom as student in quite some time. Luckily, Navarro College was so welcoming, and I was able to wash those worries away. That's why I am beyond proud to call myself a Navarro College Bulldog.
Two teachers that come to mind when I think of what had the biggest impact on me at Navarro College. One of those teachers is Professor Dammon. Professor Dammon's class was one that I always looked forward to going to. She is smart, funny, and just over all a great human. She is one of those teachers that you can talk to when you are having a problem in class and she will help you find the answer. She always keeps us on our toes and having her as teacher was a pleasure. Also, she has a killer library. The second is Professor Kraft. Professor Kraft is by far one of the nicest people you will ever meet. She is always there when you have any problems with anything. Meeting Professor Kraft was one of the best things that could have happened to me at Navarro College. She really guided me back to sanity on hard days. She was always encouraging, helpful, and just wants her students to succeed. The love she has for wanting her students to succeed in life doesn't go unnoticed. These two women had the biggest impact on me. I can't start to express how grateful I am to have not only been taught by them, but to have known them.”
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