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The Southern Illinois University Edwardsville East St. Louis Center program graduate covered her mouth with both hands and began to cry when she got approximately 10 feet away from the 2005 silver Chevy Cavalier and a group of smiling, anxious people, some of them with cameras pointed at her. 

 “I’m so happy. You all just don’t know how I feel,” said Angel Dotson, 32-year-old working mother of three. “I want to thank everyone at Connections to Success and SIUE.” 

Wheels to Success, a division of Connections to Success, gifted Dotson with the vehicle on Thursday, Aug. 10 to help ensure her success in the workforce. 

Dotson is a May 2017 graduate of the Lume Institute’s Child Development Associate program, offered

in cooperation with the SIUE East St. Louis Center’s Metro East Accelerated Training and Career Hub (MATCH) program. The five-week course prepares participants to obtain their Child Development Associate (CDA) certificate. 

Previously, Dotson completed Connection to Success’ professional development workshop in March 2017, which was funded by SIUE’s MATCH program. The three-week course is designed to motivate and help individuals investigate and find training, employment or better employment, and discover and set personal, professional or educational dreams and goals. 

After completing training and receiving her CDA, Dotson said she still had a few challenges – and one of them was transportation. 

“I talked to some of the instructors in the professional development course and told them about my situation,” Dotson said. “Mr. Brad (Lambert, co-founder of Connections to Success with wife, Kathy) told me that he would do what he could to help me.” 

“And that is what he did,” Dotson said through tears. “No one has ever helped me like this before. Now instead of buying two and three bags of groceries and getting on the bus, I can buy much more. I feel more motivated. I can better handle my business, now.” 

“Angel is ready to pursue a career as a teacher and this generous gift from Wheels for Success will make a huge difference for her,” said ESLC Executive Director Jesse Dixon. “The career training programs at the SIUE East St. Louis Center have provided Angel with opportunities to make the most of her abilities and her strong spirit and tremendous determination is inspiring for all of us.” 

Lambert and his wife, Kathy, started Wheels for Success in 1998, which has awarded more than 300 vehicles to date. “I saw so many families who had to rely on public transportation and friends to make it to work and to get where they needed to go, that I wanted to help provide them with their own transportation,” Lambert said. 

“When you give people hope, they can begin to hope more in themselves,” he continued, “and that is what they need to achieve success.” 

The next Connections to Success Professional Development Workshop will be held from Aug. 15-31 at the SIUE East St. Louis Center. 

“We are planning to have Angel be a speaker during one of the classes of our upcoming workshop,” said Johanna Wharton, director of the MATCH program. “She has a lot she can share and motivate with others looking to improve their employment choices and their lives.” 

Photo:
Angel Dotson is seen in front of her 2005 silver Chevy Cavalier.