Alumna Reflects on Her Journey from Non-Traditional Student to Clinical Supervisor

When she began her education journey at Mt. Hood Community College (MHCC) in 2015, Deevonna Frasier was a non-traditional student — a 41-year-old mother, wife, and grandmother. With six children, and her youngest still in school, she wanted to find a program close to home. Living in Hood River, she found MHCC to be the perfect fit, just a 50-minute drive away.

She applied for the Mental Health, Social Services, and Addiction Counseling program, which aligned perfectly with her long-term goal of pursuing social work, particularly clinical social work. Cost was also a consideration. While she received scholarships for her first year, MHCC's tuition was still more affordable than a university.

“My favorite instructor was Kathleen Hannigan,” Deevonna says. “She inspired me and kept me motivated throughout my studies. She always encouraged me to keep learning.”

One of the most challenging yet rewarding classes she took was pharmacology. “It was tough, but it was also incredibly rewarding,” she recalls. The cohort-based program meant that the classes built on each other, making it difficult to choose just one favorite. But the sense of community with her classmates was unforgettable. “We spent a lot of time studying together in the cafeteria, which was on the far side of campus. It was a nice walk, but the best part was the time spent with my cohort.”

A pivotal moment in her journey came on the first day of her internship at a medication-assisted treatment center in Portland, where she worked with individuals struggling with opioid addiction. “It was a challenging and rewarding experience. I felt honored to be able to help people through such a difficult time in their lives.”

That experience laid the foundation for her current career at Mid-Columbia Center for Living in Hood River, where she now serves as the clinical supervisor for the adult mental health team. “After earning my associate degree at MHCC, I worked at the Portland Metro Treatment Center for a year before moving to my current agency in December 2017 as a drug and alcohol counselor,” she says. “Since then, I’ve earned both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in social work, and in 2022, I was promoted to provide dual-diagnosis counseling. In February 2024, I was promoted to clinical supervisor.”

Her journey has not been without its hardships. In 2021, her 3-year-old grandson was diagnosed with medulloblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer. “It was a difficult time,” Deevonna says, “but I had amazing support from my family, friends, and instructors like Kathleen Hannigan. She was always there for me, even through the toughest days.”

Tragically, her grandson passed away in November 2024 at age 5, just months after she graduated with her MSW. In his memory, she established the non-profit Ezra Blue’s Flight for Cancer, which raises funds for pediatric brain cancer research.