"Investing in yourself through education is invaluable, as the long-term benefits far exceed the initial effort and resources."

"I was raised by an amazing single mom who encouraged me to figure out college on my own, and SLCC was the ideal place to do so."

"It is important to follow your instincts and choose the right starting point or environment for you."

"To feel hopeless is one of the worst feelings I've ever felt my entire life."

"I was scared out of my mind going back to school; I thought, I'm going to be the old lady."

"Instead of leaning into the fear, lean into the uncertainty."

"I got tired of dead-end jobs and knew I needed more stability."

"Just do the best for you and do everything you can to be prepared—adversity will come and so will opportunity."

"I had the realization that if I'm going to be broke, I might as well be broke doing something I love."

"Going into this field was one of the hardest and most rewarding things I've ever done."

"Don't just quit altogether if school becomes financially overwhelming."

"I always speak highly of SLCC, even in Paris and NYC. I was super proud of it—it's a hidden gem."

"I didn't really have plans to go to college. I was just trying to survive."

"I figured I would just take classes while my four kids were in school. We all studied together, and they saw how hard I worked."

"I had always wanted to be an attorney, but I just couldn't see a pathway forward."

"I wanted to show I could be more than a stereotype and help myself and my son move beyond where we were at."

"At the time my attitude was, 'I don't belong here, and I don't want to be here.'"

"It was like I had found my compass and from that point forward I was laser focused on my path."

"And don't dismiss yourself—give yourself a chance. Nine out of 10 times, you can do it."

"I graduated high school early and was going to take a year off but my mom said, 'Nope.'"

"I had tried college once before—I was on a soccer scholarship, but I partied a lot and lost it."

"According to statistics, with my background, I should have ended up dealing drugs, in prison or dead, not in college."

"I knew I wanted to be a nurse but wasn't sure how I was going to get there."

"I never thought I'd be in a leadership position—I've gone way beyond my expectations."

"I always wanted a job where I'd wake up each morning and want to get up for it."

"You don't have to know exactly what you want to do when you get out of high school. SLCC helps you find that path."