KOKOMO, Ind. – Heaven Powers started college with plans to become a dental hygienist. After taking a chemistry class, a faculty mentor saw her potential and encouraged her to dream bigger.
Watch this first video of three to learn more of Heaven’s story, and don’t forget to like and subscribe if you are looking for more great content.
Normally, The Red Chair is randomly placed around the IU Kokomo campus. Anyone walking by is free to sit down, get comfy, and share their experience about IU Kokomo. The Zoom Chair helps us continue to tell our story away from campus.
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Description of the video:
Heaven Powers sits in her house on a zoom recording for the Zoom Chair Series at IU Kokomo. The Zoom Chair logo is on the screen as well has text introducing Heaven as a major in biological and physical sciences.
Another graphic pops on the screen asking viewers to subscribe to IU Kokomo on youtube.
Soft pop music plays in the background and Heaven speaks.
Dr. Kasem pushes me!
{Laughs}
He pushes me to…
do and be involved in so much.
I took his chemistry 101 class
a few semesters ago
and he started to notice me
And he started to ask me questions,
you know, “what’s your major?”
you know, “what do you want to do?”
And, at the time I was
pre-dental hygiene
I wanted to apply to the dental program.
and…
he kinda looked at me and he was like…
“Are you sure?”
And I was like, “well, yes?”
Because, well, I actually wasn’t!
What I wanted to do was go to dental school.
And…
I knew that, but I didn’t want to
go to school for 8 years.
I just didn’t.
I have two kids.
And I just thought
dental hygiene will still be in the field
I want to go in.
But it wil be a little bit of a quicker route.
And…
So he kinda left it at that with me.
And…
So I started thinking, I’m like, it’s
It’s not really what I want to do.
And the IU staff is so supportive.
All of them are.
You know, if you have questions, they help you.
And you know, they make sure you
actually understand.
They don’t just say,
“Well, read this chapter.”
“Well, do this.”
So anyway, this past semester.
I took Dr. Kasem’s C-106 class.
Because I actually decided that
I wanted to go to dental school.
So now I am a full on science major and
have to take ALL of the science classes.
{Laughs}
I met with him again and
he just basically said
“I’ve noticed your hard work”
you know
“I’ve noticed that… “
you know, “you’re always on time”
“you’re always taking notes”
“You’re always asking questions.”
“So would you like to do research with me?”
And that was always something that.
I guess I was…
honored to be considered for because
I’m really not that great at science.
{Laughs}
I mean. I do well. I get good grades.
But I feel like I have to work
so hard to do that.
But he noticed me, and…
he gives me, you know, extra pushes.
“Well hey, could you help explain this..”
“..this subject to this person?”
“Are you fully understanding this
subject because so and so…”
you know, “is struggling a little bit.”
He considers me as somebody that
you know, is going somewhere, that
he wants to invest in.
You know? So…
We’re pretty close!
{Laughs}
He’ll even, with the online stuff, like zoom,
He…if he had an issue…
“Heaven, I’m sorry to bother you,
but I have a question.”
{laughs} You know?
He’s, he’s… he’s funny. {Laughs}
And he’s helpful.
My name is Heaven.
I am a Junior at IU Kokomo.
And I am a science major.
Next year I’ll be applying to dental school.
So that is the long-term goal.
Hopefully IU Dental School.
The IU Kokomo brand logo appears on the screen and the website, iuk dot edu is show as the screen fades to black.
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