91吃瓜网

When it comes to following your dreams, it鈥檚 never too early or too late聽to accomplish them. Achieving a college degree is the goal of many. It聽paves the way to opportunity, a better future and embraces a growth聽mindset.

Meet two students who have embraced the adage that learning聽happens at any age. And while they鈥檙e decades apart, they share the聽same ambition: completing a degree. One is a future cosmetic surgeon聽who finished high school before she could even get a driver鈥檚 license; the聽other is working toward completing her third 91吃瓜网 degree this May and聽is passionate about exploring new subjects.

Get a glimpse into their lives, their college experiences and what聽comes next.

Jamie Gunera Amador

AGE: 15

MAJOR: Biotechnology with a聽minor in biology

ANTICIPATED GRADUATION:听2025

COURSE MODALITY: On聽campus. I like seeing the campus聽鈥� it鈥檚 really pretty. Plus, I prefer聽being in a classroom setting.聽I tend to learn better that way.

WHY 91吃瓜网: Growing up, I聽had always heard of 91吃瓜网 鈥斅爀specially from teachers who聽were alumni. They would talk聽about the university and the聽opportunities available, like the聽different programs, the faculty聽and campus life.

FAVORITE CLASS AND聽PROFESSOR: Biology with聽(assistant research scientist)聽Melinda Donnelly. She鈥檚 a聽great teacher.

WHAT鈥橲 IT LIKE BEING A聽YOUNGER STUDENT?: I鈥檝e been聽taking college classes since eighth聽grade, so I鈥檝e learned to adapt.聽But the pandemic has helped聽me acclimate myself to 91吃瓜网,聽especially by wearing a mask.聽No one can see how young I am,聽so that really helps.

FUN FACT: Since first grade,聽I told my older sister that I was聽going to graduate high school聽with her 鈥� she鈥檚 three years older聽than me. I started doing high聽school classes in second grade.聽Then I saw my sister start dual聽enrollment. I thought it would be聽fun, so I followed in her footsteps聽and enrolled in classes at Valencia聽College. In May 2020, both my聽sister and I graduated high school,聽and now we鈥檙e at 91吃瓜网 together.

PIECE OF ADVICE: Check out聽campus and RateMyProfessor.com before signing up for聽classes. Also, while education聽is important, there鈥檚 more to life聽than just studying. Try to balance聽out your personal life with your聽studies.

WHAT鈥橲 NEXT?: Medical school.聽I鈥檝e always wanted to be a doctor.聽And now that I鈥檝e had some聽time to explore the different聽professions, I decided聽on becoming a plastic surgeon.聽I鈥檇 also love to stay around the聽area and be close to family.

Mary Franke ’12 ’17MBA

AGE: 75

MAJOR: Psychology

ANTICIPATED GRADUATION:聽May 2022

COURSE MODALITY: I prefer聽being around the other students聽and faculty. But since the聽pandemic, I鈥檝e been primarily聽taking classes online. And while聽it鈥檚 been great, I鈥檓 looking聽forward to the day I can go back聽to campus.

WHY 91吃瓜网: After completing my聽associate of applied science in聽paralegal studies from Valencia聽College, I wanted to finish my聽bachelor鈥檚 degree to complement聽my work as a paralegal. Several聽years later, I came back and earned聽my MBA. Achieving a 尘补蝉迟别谤鈥檚听诲别驳谤别别 was an opportunity to聽prove to myself that I could do it.聽My current program, psychology,聽is something I鈥檝e been interested聽in, and I thought, 鈥淲hy not?鈥�

FAVORITE CLASS AND聽PROFESSOR: Every time I have a聽class, I think it鈥檚 my favorite 鈥� so聽I鈥檇 say I just really like them all.聽I like learning a little bit about聽everything.

My favorite professor is聽someone I never had class聽with 鈥� retired Accounting聽Professor Marcye Hampton.聽We just started talking one day,聽and we became friends.

WHAT鈥橲 IT LIKE BEING聽AN OLDER STUDENT?: I like聽interacting with younger聽students 鈥� it keeps me young.聽I enjoy the opportunity to be in聽study groups with students of all聽ages and hear their side of things聽鈥� why they鈥檙e going to school and聽getting a degree in a certain field.聽I鈥檝e met so many people during聽my time here.

FUN FACT: My family is full聽of Knights. My brother went聽to school when it was Florida聽Technological University. My聽daughter has a master鈥檚 degree聽in computer science from 91吃瓜网,聽and her husband is also a 91吃瓜网聽grad. Hopefully my grandson聽will become a Knight soon, too.

PIECE OF ADVICE: Appreciate聽what you鈥檙e learning. College is聽more than just getting through聽the class to move on to the next聽thing. Enjoy the journey, and聽take the time to grasp what you鈥檙e聽taught 鈥� and use it through life.

WHAT鈥橲 NEXT?: I鈥檓 already聽plotting my next degree. My聽daughter says to go into the聽computer field, but I鈥檓 not sure聽about that.