Sponsored by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and the
Missouri Center for Career Education, the Missouri Breaking Traditions Awards honor
students in nontraditional career and technical education programs. Nontraditional
students are defined as those studying for careers traditionally chosen by the opposite
gender (individuals from one gender comprise less than 25 percent of the individuals
employed in that occupation or field).
Career centers, public two-year colleges and comprehensive high schools can nominate
a single student from each nontraditional program. A panel of judges chooses winners
from eight regions and two districts in the state, and these finalists then compete
for state awards.
Originally from Brazil, Probst is currently a software programmer for SyllogisTeks.
She has a computer science degree from Brazil, but she has always been interested
in interior design and architecture. She moved to the United States in 2005 to marry
her husband, and she became an American citizen in 2010, the same year she decided
to go back to school.
“I'd heard about the CAD program at SCC and decided to give it a try since I've worked with AutoCAD before and liked it,” Probst said. “I thought it would be a great way to get into the architecture field.”
David Niermann, SCC associate professor of pre-engineering and computer-aided drafting, nominated Probst for the award. “With a perfect 4.0 GPA, Patricia is our best example of a high performing drafting student,” said Niermann. “She has truly absorbed as much as possible from her experiences, taking the challenges of non-traditional learning and transforming them into advantages.”
For more information on the Missouri Breaking Traditions Awards, visit www.breakingtraditionsmissouri.org. For more information on SCC's Computer-Aided Drafting program, contact Niermann
at 636-922-8561 or dniermann@stchas.edu.
Established in 1986, St. Charles Community College is celebrating 25 years as a public, comprehensive two-year community college with associate degrees and certificate programs in the arts, business, sciences and career-technical fields. SCC provides workforce training and community-based personal and professional development as well as cultural, recreational and entertainment opportunities. For more information, visit www.stchas.edu.