Imagine earning your college degree at 76 or landing full rides to six Ivy League schools! That's the inspiring reality for Lone Star College-CyFair graduates Virginia Kelley and Jennifer Tran, who prove that success starts at LSC-CyFair, no matter your background or goals.
Becoming a college graduate this May was not easy for Kelley, who was a high school dropout as a 10th-grader “because I thought I knew it all”, she said. Raising her family in in Buffalo, New York, she explained when her 7-year-old son questioned why he had to go to school if she had quit, she decided to get her GED and the dream of going to college began. When they moved to Massachusetts, she got a job working in electronics and was able to take four classes at Northeastern University before “life took a left turn on me. I had to drop out. But I never forgot my dream.”
College remained on hold with a move to Texas to help raise her grandchildren until 2013 when she enrolled at LSC-CyFair. Kelley said she had to learn to use a computer and still has a hard time. Between family and work, she could only take one class at a time. She said it wasn’t easy, but she stayed with it.
“I walked across the stage to get my degree May 9. It was all I could do not to cry. It took me 11 years, but I finally made it. My family was always there supporting me,” she said. “Thank you to all the LSC-CyFair staff and professors that helped me throughout the years who made this possible for me. It’s been a wonderful experience. This degree shows me that I can do it. I will be working on my bachelor’s degree in the fall.”
Kelley’s advice to students of today is “Your education is something no one can take from you. It will be with you for the rest of your life and help you through a lot of bumps in the road you are on. Stay strong. Keep working. It won’t be easy, but you will win.”
Tran shares with other students that starting college can be both exciting and daunting. In fact, this 2020 Cypress Springs High School grad took a year off before enrolling at LSC-CyFair because it was close to home and affordable. At that time, her goal was to take the basics, get good grades, earn a degree and make her family proud.
While at LSC-CyFair, she learned time management and professional communication skills as she got involved in student organizations. Tran served as historian for both the Student Government Association and the Fashion Club and president of the Vietnamese Student Association, was a Peer Leader and worked in the Student Life Department. She took advantage of college resources, such as the Academic Success Center’s tutoring for help with English essays and review sessions for math courses, and often studied in the library.
By the time Tran graduated May 11, she had accomplished her original goals as well as a new goal – applying to Ivy League schools just to see.
“I wanted to know where I could go from here. I wanted to prove to myself that I could do it,” she said.
And she did just that, as Tran received full-ride offers from Harvard, Columbia, Princeton, Brown, Yale and Cornell, in addition to another full-ride offer from the University of California, Berkeley, which she ultimately accepted to pursue a bachelor’s in nursing and a pediatrics career as a nurse or surgeon.
“I’m a little nervous to go to a new state, but I’m prepared to grow as a person, come out of my comfort zone, explore more and meet new people. I’m excited to see what life brings me,” she said.
“My experience at LSC-CyFair was really great. Faculty and staff are so nice to talk to, they’re outgoing, caring and always here to support students and one another,” she continued. “The people helped me through so much when I started here. They changed part of me and made an impact. LSC-CyFair is like my second home.”
LSC-CyFair President Dr. Valerie Jones said “Students like Virginia and Jennifer are proof that no matter your personal story, no matter what doubts you may have, you belong at LSC-CyFair!”
“I watched Jennifer grow each semester and her success is such a testament to what can happen when you stretch for your dreams,” Dr. Jones continued. “I first met Virginia when she walked up for graduation orientation, both excited and nervous. Her story reminds us of the power of the human spirit to persevere and succeed.”
Kelley and Tran's stories are testaments to the transformative power of LSC-CyFair. Whether you're a recent high school grad or an adult learner with a long-held dream, LSC-CyFair provides the support, resources and opportunities to help you achieve your academic goals. Visit LoneStar.edu/regcyfair to start your journey today!