Momentum - Business to Business Online Magazine MOMENTUM August 2018 | Page 16

League City Regional Chamber Board of Director , Rebecca Trout-Unbehagen , Wins Galveston College Board of Regents , Position 7
By : Erin Webb , Communications & Media Director
League City Regional Chamber of Commerce Erin @ LeagueCityChamber . com
Q & A with Rebecca Trout-Unbehagen
Q : Why did you choose to run ? A : I decided to run for the Galveston College Board of Regents because I believe all students should receive the training and education necessary to provide them the opportunity for a prosperous future . I believe that in Texas the most accessible and affordable route for the most people to achieve that successful future is through community college and I want to help make that promising future a reality for more children . I also believe that I have leadership skills and other talents and experience that will be beneficial to the college . I have always thought it important to give back to my community and I feel my service to Galveston College will be among the most important volunteer jobs I have ever taken on .
I believe in the power of community colleges . I have witnessed first-hand the impact Galveston College has had on students who had never before considered higher education . I know of 13 newly trained welders who just last May crossed the commencement stage at Galveston College several days before they received their diplomas from Ball High School because of the opportunity they had to earn college-level certifications in welding through Galveston College while still in high school . It was due to a program called Galveston Career Connect and it is among the most important work I have done in recent years as executive director for community engagement at UTMB Health . Galveston Career Connect was funded by a U . S . Department of Labor grant . Both UTMB and Galveston College are partners on the grant . Career Connect impacted nearly 900 Ball High School students and awarded more than 300 certifications enabling these students to graduate high school ( and sometimes Galveston College simultaneously ) and enter the workforce with live-able wage jobs . The welders I mentioned are qualified to earn $ 25 an hour in entry-level positions and some of them graduated with Level II certification which enabled them to earn between $ 30- $ 35 per hour . This is life-changing work and it underscores the vital role of community colleges .
Q : What was the campaign like for you ? A : The campaign was exciting and nerve-wracking . It was like nothing I had ever done before . I was introduced to a number of wonderful people and felt really proud when I met someone who made a point to let me know that they believed in what I stood for and were supporting my candidacy . I guess the hardest part , outside the fact that we had a run-off so we actually had to wage two campaigns , was making sure that I was on-target with what I wanted to say at public events and forums . I am usually pretty comfortable speaking before a crowd and I knew what my message was but public speaking can throw you off-guard sometimes and I didn ’ t want to misspeak . Also , it was really odd to drive around town and see my name plastered everywhere on campaign signs . I am usually a pretty private person so seeing my name all over town took some getting used to . I did have some unbelievable support from numerous people who I really did not know before the campaign . That was incredibly gratifying and I really owe much of my success to those folks . I am very grateful for their hard work and efforts on my behalf .
Q : Have you ever run for anything like this before ? A : I have helped others get elected in the past by volunteering on various campaigns but have never run for office myself . It was a lot of fun and a lot of hard work . At times I still don ’ t quite believe that I actually won a public election but I am proud of myself for making the decision to run . I have a much greater understanding of the commitment and sacrifices candidates must make in order to run for office – especially those running for major state or national positions .
15 MOMENTUM / August 2018