| Far from home Next time you complain about the time it takes to fly home for the holidays, think of Selena Healey. “I like to tell people I fly from coast to coast to coast,” laughed Healey, associate director of financial aid, who moved to D.C. from Barrow, Alaska, four years ago. “It takes a full 24-hours to go from one place to the other.” While Barrow—the northernmost
settlement in the United States—lacks such amenities as paved roads and stop lights, Healey said the small town of about 4,000 is “a very welcoming, hospitable community.” “Everyone’s so friendly,” she said. “Going to the grocery store there is a big social event because you’re bound to know everyone there. And even if you don’t, they’ll still talk to you.” Healey, who grew up in the 49th state, graduated from the University of Alaska in Fairbanks, a city which sees 100 degrees in the summer and an icy -60 degrees in the winter. “It’s funny, you would always see a run on the registrar’s office once it hit -40,” laughed Healey. “Everyone wanted to transfer somewhere warmer.” After graduation, Healey, who worked in her alma mater’s financial aid office, transferred to Ilisagvik College in Barrow, where she worked for three years before her husband’s job brought the family to D.C. While Healey enjoys Washington’s cultural diversity and the educational opportunities available to her three children, she said it took some time to adjust to life in a bustling metropolis. “The sheer volume of people took some getting used to. That and the noise—it took months before I got used to all the noise,” she said. “Sometimes I do miss the absolute quiet of Alaska.” These days, Healey can’t escape the noise at her office, either. This is the busiest time of the year for Healey and the 10 other financial aid counselors, as students receive their acceptance letters and apply for funding. “The phone basically rings off the hook. We try to return all calls within 24 hours, but that can be a little tricky when you have 20 voice mails at the end of the day,” she laughed. Despite the stress that sometimes comes with dealing with parents and money, Healey said her job can’t be beat. “I love it,” she said. “There’s nothing better than helping students achieve their dreams through financial aid.” —AF |
