Thinking Outside the Classroom: University Students Discover New Opportunities Through Career and Technical Education

Some people know exactly what they want to do after graduating from high school.

Stevie Malaski was not one of those people.

Malaski completed just one semester of college after she graduated from high school in 2009. After that, she moved from job to job for a long time. Anxiety kept her from performing well at work and made it hard for her to stay in a job for more than a few months. It wasn’t until she landed a job working at a boarding kennel for dogs and cats that she finally found some stability, confidence — and joy in her work.

“I flourished in the right work environment,” Malaski said. She knew she wanted to keep working with animals.

That led her to the University of Alaska Anchorage’s Mat-Su College, where this summer she completed her occupational endorsement in veterinary assisting.