Johannah Lee
Johannah Lee was already working in dentistry when she moved to North Dakota from the Philippines. When she moved to Delaware, she was excited to be able to enroll in Delaware Tech’s dental hygiene program so she could continue her career.
“I come from a family of dentists and the people around me are in the medical field as well,” Lee said. “I grew up helping my mom, who is a dentist. I have childhood memories of holding the suction for patients as they were getting their treatment. That was when I knew I wanted to be like my mom and be in the dental community and make a difference in people’s lives.”
Lee said she was a little anxious starting at Delaware Tech since she had never experienced any type of educational setting in the United States.
“I was greeted by very caring and understanding instructors who helped me through my entire journey,” she said. “Through everything, Delaware Tech provided great support and ensured I was well prepared to succeed.”
Lee said her husband provided a lot of support – mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually, to keep her focused and motivated on graduating. She also found the opportunities to participate in community events and fundraisers with her classmates to be very rewarding and beneficial to her learning. They provided dental education to local elementary school students and senior communities, and even sold dental items at a local farmer’s market which allowed them to engage with members of the community and become confident in their knowledge of oral health.
Lee credits two Delaware Tech faculty and staff members for helping her get into college and are ones she will miss.
“The first person I met when I moved to Delaware was Zara Mackrell,” Lee said. “She assisted me with enrolling in the school as well as helping me transfer my foreign college credits to assist me in getting accepted into the program. She was very vital throughout my educational journey.
“My academic counselor, who I hold dear to my heart, is Mrs. Leann Simmons. She has always gone above and beyond to help me and ensure I understand everything as I struggle with the English vocabulary. If there was a mistake made by the program or a different instructor, she would give great effort to correct these issues and explain the whole process to me. She showed genuine and true empathy to every student. She connected with me and always encouraged me to continue to pursue my educational journey.”
