Classes at PCC changed Tim Shields’ trajectory. Decades later, they still inspire his giving.
Posted by PCC Foundation
PCC alum Tim Shields reflects on why he supports students through giving to the PCC Foundation:
Before PCC, I was on track for a lifetime of dead-end jobs. I struggled with dyslexia, ADHD, and homelessness. My high school guidance counselor encouraged me to drop out and join the military because, in his view, I simply wasn’t cut out for school. For a long time, I believed him.
PCC proved otherwise. Instead of asking me to fit into a mold, the college met me where I was. I could take classes between work shifts, explore subjects that genuinely interested me, and learn from instructors who understood how I learned best.
My path wasn’t linear. I moved between work and school for years, starting with PCC’s Drug and Alcohol Counseling program, before eventually earning a master’s degree in psychology and spending five years as a crisis counselor at Providence.
I returned to PCC throughout my career to keep learning and sharpen my skills.
Today, I’m the proud founder of Cascade Games, a boutique firm that designs and facilitates tabletop gaming events and programs. Every day, I help people connect through play, building a business rooted in community and belonging — something my teenage self could never have imagined.
People sometimes ask why I support PCC. The answer is simple: I know what my life looked like before I enrolled, and I know what it looked like after. That’s why I give.
PCC changed the direction of my life. Today, when I think about where I want to invest, I think about the institution that made that kind of transformation possible — not just for me, but for thousands of students every year from every walk of life. Scholarships create opportunities for people who simply need the chance to discover what’s possible.
Community college isn’t a backup plan. It’s the place where new futures begin.
Tim Shields is a PCC alum and the founder of Cascade Games. Since 2019, he has supported scholarships, urgent student needs, and the student food insecurity program through gifts to the PCC Foundation.