Christina Barnett

Christina Barnett moved to California when her husband was stationed at Camp Pendleton. This Alabama native soon found a home-away-from-home at MiraCosta College, where she excelled both academically and socially.

School hasn’t always come easy for Christina.  “I was born a blue baby, meaning I was not breathing,” she explains.  “I went through a lot of therapy and had to be in a special elementary school program for people with learning disabilities.”

Despite facing severe challenges, Christina decided to stop participating in special education before starting eighth grade.  Instead, she opted to make a brand new start at a new school and tackle her learning disabilities head-on.

“My doctors never thought I’d be able to graduate.  Even my special education teachers said they didn’t want me to leave the program,” she explains.  “But I did it.  And, I graduated from high school with a 3.4 GPA.”   

After graduating from high school, Christina moved to Washington, D.C. where her husband was enrolled in officer training for the Marine Corps.  Once he graduated, the couple moved to Oceanside and Christina enrolled at MiraCosta.

“I was scared to go to college because I know how it feels to fail,” she says.  “But, I went for it and took 12 units my first semester.  To my surprise, I found out that I love college!  I really pushed myself and in my first semester I got a 4.0 GPA.  I was so shocked and surprised. I was like, ‘wow, I’m a really good student!’”

Since then, Christina has maintained a high GPA while taking a number of different classes at MiraCosta.  She discovered her passion for the social sciences while enrolled in instructor Bruce Hoskins’ sociology class.  She has decided to major in social sciences and wants to become a teacher. 

Besides being involved in her studies, Christina has also found time to become a student ambassador and participate in work study in the Student Activities Office.  She also became the first president of the Fencing Club, despite never having fenced before.

“I thought, ‘what a cool opportunity!’  I enjoyed it a lot and learned so much.”

Christina’s husband was deployed to Iraq in February of 2006 and returned in September with a Purple Heart.  Christina is now finishing up her studies and will be transferring to the University of Alabama in Huntsville.  Even though she is moving back “home” Christina says she will always have a place in her heart for MiraCosta. 

“I love this school!”