Change people's lives at home and around the world
March 2014
Erica Rascon was a singer in a soul band and has also learned that she can, indeed, cook tasty cuisine. Bye-bye, ramen noodles and frozen dinners! She travels and explores, often on her own, toting her camera and seeing what life brings her way.
Like other students, this photography major from Houston, Texas, is trying to figure out who she is, what she believes, and what she wants to do for the rest of her life. “Through just living, learning and experiencing—one step at a time—I have made amazing discoveries about myself,” said Erica. “I have a better feel for how I can make my greatest contributions to the world.”
Some of Erica’s happiest moments come from capturing people and life with her camera. Thanks to an art scholarship to BYU-Idaho, she is discovering how best to take photos that invoke emotion. She is reminded daily of how visual images can provide lasting and vital links to a person, place and time. “My scholarship has been a huge blessing,” she said. “It has pushed me to create some of my best work.”
Erica admits she loves a challenge. “I know that I—and others—have the power to follow our dreams, no matter how absurd they might seem,” she said. “We have a lot of control over our lives, whether or not we believe we do. We should be happy, go on adventures and embrace life. We can have incredible experiences if we show the initiative.”
Last semester, Erica took 19 credit hours of courses toward her degree. Even with outside activities and her job of helping children with disabilities become more independent, she had one of her most productive and rewarding semesters yet. “If I can change the life of even one person at a time, what an amazing thing that would be,” she said.
When asked what she would envision for her “dream” future, Erica said, “I would work on my own photography projects, and people would flock to see and enjoy them. I would love to touch lives and invoke personal responses with the images I share.”
Another dream would be to work as a photographer for a magazine with a news or editorial focus. “I love how photographs can document our lives and experiences,” she said. “They help us remember what we might otherwise forget. Also, I would continue performing musically since I love the arts. And I would like to be married someday and have crazy kids and wonderful adventures. That would be perfect!”
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When Karin Rice became a single mother with four small children, her feelings of self-worth hit rock bottom. For the first time since becoming a mother, she found she needed to work. With only a high school education, she knew she would not be able to support her family. “I prayed very sincerely about what I should do,” said Karin. “I soon realized the Lord wanted me to be in school.”
When reality hit like a ton of bricks, she knew it was time to get serious about life.
Second in a three-part series: The personalized attention and focused curriculum of Pathway helped Bianka Martinez feel valued and land a better job.
