Alum Masterfully Juggles Classes, Career, and Family

When Wingo Tse started at BC, she wasn’t sure if she’d make it to graduation. Tse admits she struggled with her academics at first, but everyone who knows her says she has a tenacious work ethic, and she went to work. If a professor had office hours, she was there. She became a familiar face at the Academic Support Center, and her one-on-one tutoring in mathematics eventually paid off with an A. By the time she finished her associate degree in business administration, she was a member of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society and was recently awarded a Soroptimist Live Your Dream Award.

Tse arrived from Hong Kong seven years ago, and she spends lots of time with her two daughters and helps raise her grandson. One of her daughters was even able to take a class with her at BC. Japanese Instructor Mari Brunson remembers that Tse always had a lot going on.

“She was juggling multiple roles and was good at multitasking. She was very appreciative of the opportunities here and was very focused on working toward her goals,” said Brunson.

Tse has since gone on to the University of Washington (UW) where she is pursuing an education degree, and she has been awarded numerous scholarships there. But she still looks back fondly at her time at BC. She says switching to UW was a culture shock as the community is not as close as it is here.

“What I most missed were all the connections I made with the professors and the other students,” she said. “The professors at BC were very supportive and caring. There was lots to do, including convenient lunchtime events and cultural activities.”

Brunson also recalled that Tse had the qualities that often produce successful students.

“I remember her dropping in to see me frequently,” said Brunson. “She reached out a lot and was a good communicator. She was not shy about asking questions.”

While juggling family and her academics, Tse also finds time to volunteer. At BC she supported the Bellevue College Foundation and Early Learning Center, and she has also been a volunteer lead at the UW School of Business.

Tse plans to become an elementary school teacher and hopes to support ELL students in learning English while also helping with STEM programs. That may seem like a lot to take on, but juggling is Tse’s specialty.