Last week, we asked you to share your thoughts on the President's proposal to make two years of community college free for students who keep their grades up. With community college students making up 40 percent of the Americans enrolled in higher education, the President’s plan is projected to benefit around 9 million students each year – saving the average full-time community college student $3,800 a year in tuition expenses.
From sharing your own story, to telling us why community college is important to our country’s future, we were overwhelmed by your responses. Americans from across the nation shared how their time in community college shaped their lives and gave them opportunities to do things they had never thought they could do.
Here are a few of the inspirational stories that we received:
Gloria M: Fulfilling a Doctor's Dream
"I always wanted to go to college, but becoming pregnant at 17 caused my dream to be deferred…As a single mother, I experienced many struggles and triumphs, but my dream never died. It would take 21 years for my prayers to be answered. At the age of 39, I was given the opportunity to return to school, and that journey began at Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut, CA. I was the first in my family to go to college. Mt. Sac helped me to gain the necessary confidence to continue my educational pursuits. Today, I have a B.S. in Psychology, an M.S. In Marriage and Family Therapy, an M.S. in Clinical Psychology, and a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology. Community colleges are so vital in giving students positive educational experiences that can transform their lives." -Dr. Gloria M.