Christina Lynn Alleman
Christina Lynn Alleman, a student in the Medical Laboratory Technology (MLT) program at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College’s Jackson County Campus, received a $1,000 scholarship this semester from the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP). This national award is based on academic achievement, leadership ability, community activities, professional goals and endorsements from faculty and community leaders. ASCP scholarships are among the most highly sought-after in the medical-laboratory industry.
Angie Nelson, an instructor in the MLT program, said Alleman is an outstanding student. “The award is very prestigious and says a lot about the quality of our program and the quality of our students. Christina is one of our class leaders and has a very strong academic record. She will be a real asset to the medical field.”
Alleman will complete the MLT program this semester and plans to continue working toward a bachelor’s degree while working in the field. She said she has not been able to work as much since she started college full time. “This scholarship has helped me pay for books, tuition and, along with my Pell Grant, the after-school care for my daughter, Makayla,” she said. “Things are tough right now economically, and the money couldn’t have come at a better time.”
Pleased to be back in college, Alleman is excited about her future in medicine. “After high school, I came to college for a semester, but I couldn’t afford it because I was already married to my husband, Daniel, and we had a tough time making ends meet. Surprisingly enough, twelve years later I became interested in the Medical Laboratory program and then found out that Peggy Caldwell, who I already knew, was the director of that program. I talked to her about it and then registered for my classes.”
She said her family supports her, which has helped her maintain high grades in the program. “My family supported my decision to return to school. They’ve allowed me to make school my priority. If it weren’t for them telling me I could do it, I wouldn’t be here now.”
For more information about the Medical Laboratory Technology program at the Jackson County Campus, contact Peggy Caldwell, 228-497-7846.
