Finding Voice and Confidence: Cheyene's DFC Experience

Cheyene Bialke graduated from Dougherty Family College (DFC) in 2022 and is now a student at the University of St. Thomas (MN)

Cheyene Bialke is a first-generation college student and eldest sibling, so when it came to college, she didn’t know where to start. However, when she heard about Dougherty Family College (DFC) from teachers at her high school, she was intrigued by the prospect of getting her associate degree. She applied, getting guidance from the college’s admissions office when she needed it, and after months of hard work, she was admitted into the Class of 2022. 

DFC is part of the University of Saint Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota, and was the first replication of Arrupe College, the basis of the Come to Believe Network (CTB). CTB’s two-year college model propels students towards success by keeping class sizes small, helping students get the individual attention they need to persist and graduate.  

To help keep classes small and build community, DFC assigns each student to a cohort of about 25 students. Students take their classes with their cohort, and for Bialke, this small group was integral to her learning.

“Having the small cohort was so impactful to my education because I always felt comfortable asking for help, and someone would always be there for me,” she says. “I went from getting consistent Cs and Ds in high school to getting As and Bs at Dougherty, and I think finding community got me there.”

The close-knit community not only helped Bialke succeed academically, but it also helped her become more confident. Usually a quiet person, Bialke was anxious to take a public speaking class. But after everyone told a personal story on the first day, her class’s willingness to share helped her feel at ease. Public speaking ended up being Bialke’s favorite class she took at DFC.

“I learned so much from that class, both the content itself and from my classmates,” she says. “That class helped me to be a better advocate for myself and be more confident speaking up.”

DFC also provided the resources that Bialke needed to succeed. When she struggled in her math classes, Bialke used the DFC tutoring services to catch up to her peers. The professional development class she took taught her how to create a resume and LinkedIn page, how to network and other skills that helped foster her professional growth. Thanks to DFC’s career services, Bialke also secured her first internship experience as a corporate responsibilities intern and her campus job at the University of Saint Thomas Newsroom.

Bialke is now working toward her four-year degree in journalism and media production at the University of Saint Thomas. Even after graduation, she still turns to the DFC faculty and her former classmates for support, whether it's academic help or career path advice.

“It’s crazy how a school I only attended for two years has become such an integral part of who I am,” she says. “They gave me such a great community, and it’s nice to know they're always there for me.”