“Education is a treasure that no one can take away from us,” notes Jovanna Morales, who completed her bachelor’s degree in business administration through Centro San Juan Diego’s online college program. Jovanna left Mexico 18 years ago with only one semester left to finish her psychology degree. However, life took her on a different path. In the United States, she got married, had a child, and helped with her husband’s plumbing business. Nevertheless, she always envisioned herself becoming a professional. So, when she learned about Centro’s program, she chose a field of study that would help her grow the family business. The variety of courses in the program helped Jovanna successfully analyze the company and make necessary changes, such as finding jobs for the employees that best matched their skills. Over her four and a half years of study, she also greatly improved her confidence, self-expression, and ability to use a computer. Despite the challenges and obstacles along the way, Jovanna shares that earning a college degree has helped her broaden her horizons and serve as an example for her son. “ ‘ I can’t’ should not exist,” she says “but rather, the opposite, ‘I can.’ ” Now that she has completed her degree, she plans to become more involved in her husband’s company and would also like to gain further experience by working elsewhere. She is on her way, as this new professional already has a few job offers on the table. Congratulations, Jovanna!

Centro San Juan Diego provides adult education classes to more than 5,000 Hispanic individuals annually.