Where the System Ends, CAA Begins. We Built the College We Couldn't Find. CAA Story #18: Professor Paula

Before finding CAA, Professor Paula Murray had worked and built a successful career in the travel industry. But when she needed to take leave and get surgery, the company decided to dissolve her position and let her go. Rather than letting that setback define her, Professor Paula decided to see it as an opportunity to explore other career paths. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she decided to enroll in kinesiology classes at West Valley College.

It was through West Valley’s Disability and Educational Support Service’s (DESP), that Professor Paula first found out about CAA. Between taking classes and caring for her parents, Professor Paula started out as a volunteer, helping out in classes and doing small tasks behind the scenes.

Professor Paula remembers that right when she started volunteering, one of the acting classes was getting ready to put on a Shakespeare play. Watching the Shakespeare-inspired production created by CAA students opened her eyes to how unique the program was and that CAA was a community she wanted to be a part of. She loved seeing the creativity, confidence, and freedom that the students displayed on stage.

By helping out with the play, Professor Nicole Matarangas decided she wanted Professor Paula’s help in her other classes. Helping out in those classes introduced Professor Paula to the joys of teaching and soon she decided to teach her own classes.

Today, Professor Paula teaches her own classes and also serves as an Assistant Professor in several others, helping students discover their talents, build confidence, and achieve their goals. Some of the classes that Professor Paula teaches are the You Are Not Alone Club, Welcome to CAA, and Holistic Drum Circle.



Through CAA, Professor Paula did not only find a new professional path, but also a place where she can make a meaningful difference in the lives of others.

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Written by Nina Pal

Volunteer