My Citrus Story- Jennifer Beal
As if they are now, and later they shall be.
My senior year of high school in Covina proved to be a far different experience than I had expected.
Although I was a good student who planned on attending a four-year university to earn a bachelor’s
degree, everything changed when I became pregnant and was expelled from school. It was a hard time, but I transferred to a local continuation school where I graduated early and subsequently gave my son up for open adoption. My dreams and plans derailed, I enrolled at Citrus College wondering if there would be a second chance for me.
Citrus College proved to be the place where I could heal, get stronger as a person, and lay a new foundation for my future. I took a variety of classes and enjoyed many wonderful experiences with my professors. The academic and emotional support I received from those professors will stay with me forever. Their belief in me was so encouraging it actually helped me believe in myself. I now have the confidence to move forward toward my dreams. Through their mentoring process, I discovered new interests, learned more about myself and, in time, found a new direction for my life. After two years, I graduated with my A.A. in language arts and transferred to Chapman University.
I am now in the final stages of earning a B.A. in business administration with an emphasis in entrepreneurship and marketing. I am acquiring the knowledge and skills I will need to succeed in starting and running my own business. Having been selected to participate next fall in the Semester-at-Sea (SAS), a highly-regarded study abroad program, I know I’m finally on the right path to seeing my dreams come true.
I'm grateful to Citrus for providing me with a well-rounded
education — at a modest cost — and for helping me pursue my dreams. While my initial educational plans didn’t work out,
I feel blessed to have had a second chance, and I am very
excited about my future.
Tell us your story at www.citruscollege.edu/MyCitrusStory
My Citrus Story is funded in part by grants supporting the College Success program, and has been developed in cooperation with the Citrus College Foundation and the Citrus College Board of Trustees. Copyright © 2010, Citrus College.