Challenges on the Road to Graduation

Blackhawk recently celebrated the graduation of its GED and HSED students. These programs are critical components of the college’s mission to help students build their future with a flexible education in a supportive environment.

Vice President of Academic Affairs, Karen Schmitt, kicked off the evening congratulating students on their accomplishment while during an historic pandemic. “The pandemic has tested the resilience of these students and their instructors,” she said, “as they worked together to adjust to the new instructional delivery method. It was a test that they passed with flying colors. In addition to learning new technologies to access their classes, we know that many of our graduates have also had to overcome significant personal obstacles.”

Three graduates of the program had the opportunity to share their obstacles and experiences on the road to graduation.

Student speaker Alfredo Hernandez spoke about how his educational journey reminded him of being in a boxing match. Life had knocked him down repeatedly while he faced the choice to get up or stay down. Twelve years ago, he tried to get his diploma but only got as far as the receptionist’s desk. As a 36-year-old father of five, he yearned to be a hard-working role model for them but didn’t have the support needed to get off the ropes. “At first,” he said, “I wanted to get this diploma to show off at work. To say ‘I can get a job now.’ If your goal is to get a job, don’t worry, you’ll get a job, but remember that if you stay at school, you’ll better yourself.”

As a mother of two who married young, Martha Fernandez had responsibilities that kept her from finishing her studies. Backed by her family’s motto that it’s never too late to achieve your goals, Martha expressed her appreciation for the program that “has greatly helped me improve my reading, writing, and understanding of English.” Now that she’s completed the first step of her goal, she will be entering the Criminal Justice Program here at Blackhawk Tech.

Stephanie Martin closed out the speakers of the evening detailing her challenging journey to a diploma. While growing up, she didn’t take school seriously and did not think graduating was important. At 18, she became a mother and dropped out of school to work and support her daughter full time. This was her second attempt at completing the program. “I knew this time was different,” Stephanie said, “I had to graduate. My mother had fallen ill with Lou Gehrig’s disease. It is a rare disorder, and there’s no cure. Our family has watched her health declined dramatically in months. When her health started declining, I decided it was time to get my HSED. I wanted my mom to be alive to watch me graduate.”

Vice President Schmitt commended the graduates for facing their challenges and arriving at this pivotal milestone in their educational journey, praising all of BTC’s GED/HSED students for their commitment and perseverance.

Stephanie summed up the experience of every student in the room as she closed out her comments, “it might have taken us longer than we had hoped, but we did it. Congratulations to all the students of Class of 2021.”