Jacqueline

Going back to school had always been a part of my "plan." As is often the case, life came at me fast, and before I knew it, several years, and greater responsibilities, had widened the gap between academia and me. Going back to school seemed a precarious notion for a while, until doing it put my fears to rest. In the summer of 2006, I took back my life and defied my uncertainties. I fled an abusive marriage, and in fact was living in a shelter with my two young children when I began my first semester at ACC. That summer I rediscovered my competence and reclaimed my sense of ambition and hope. My first experience at ACC was an indelible part of that powerful beginning, and I know that for a lifetime I will gratefully remember the members of the ACC staff and their affiliates through Capital Idea who encouraged and supported the birth of my dreams. It's been a journey, and a long one at that. I've been going to school on a full-time basis for two years now at ACC and have managed to rebuild my life from the ground up. ACC and their community partners have helped make a way for my children and me to realize our collective potential. Between ACC's scholarships and grants, the support of Capital Idea, and the numerous resources available through on-campus resources, I am now financially self-sufficient with stable housing and affordable childcare. I have been able to go to school full-time without having to work. This support has enabled me to invest in my future without missing my children's most precious early years. As the single mother of a child who struggles with a severe disability, the balance and flexibility that ACC has offered me through their online-based courses is truly an invaluable commodity. With a 4.0 GPA, I am entering into my second semester of the Associates Degree Nursing Program as an Honors Student and a student honored to be a part of all the futures taking shape at ACC. Our stories are different, but our paths share common ground; I am ACC.

Submitted at Are You ACC?