成人学习者格蕾丝·费拉罗通过TN重新连接在佩里西比州立大学取得成功

上社区大学是格蕾丝·费拉罗按照自己的条件和节奏追求高等教育的一种方式。

在佩里西比州立社区学院，费拉罗发现她有灵活的时间和哈丁谷的便利校园，在那里她可以在家里上课，有充足的时间和空间去探索不同的课程和学位课程。

“Especially with already feeling intimidated coming into college, the thought of a community college just felt safe,” Ferraro said. “And that's exactly what it has been for me.”

费拉罗第一次考虑拿到学位时才27岁。

她的阿姨让她知道了Tennessee Reconnect，这是一个由凤凰彩票高等教育委员会（Tennessee Higher Education Commission）发起的资助项目，允许凤凰彩票符合条件的成人学习者免费上社区或技术学院。

“I was like, ‘There's no way. 那不是我。 That's not my life, like, I'm too behind already,’” said Ferraro, who had grown up with minimal education.

尽管紧张不安，费拉罗还是利用了TN重新连接。 她见了一位教练，并被鼓励去申请密西西比州立大学。

TN Reconnect doesn’t just provide financial aid to adult learners, it also helps them navigate the entire college-going process, said Berry Shumpert, assistant dean of students at Pellissippi.

“TN Reconnect Navigators serve as a consistent point of contact for adult learners, guiding them through the college system, connecting them with campus and community resources and supporting their success every step of the way,” Shumpert said.

2024年秋天，费拉罗开始学习摄影。 她第一次来到校园，遇到了香波特，他帮她找到了教室，并告诉她，她已经为下一步做好了准备。

She got connected with her academic adviser and Pellissippi’s 咨询服务, both of which she emphasized have been integral in her educational journey.

“The acceptance I've received here, the encouragement – I feel like I have a whole team of people surrounding me here at Pellissippi,” Ferraro said. “It's not just one person. I have a whole team that at any point in the day, if I need help, I know I could call any of them or email any of them, and they would say, ‘We believe in you, and you can do this.’”

Eventually, Shumpert hired Ferraro as an orientation leader and then a peer mentor in the Stay Strong成功中心, which aims to ensure students’ success by helping them navigate transitions and challenges they may face in college.

“She turned out to be a tremendous help to us,” Shumpert said. “Grace often says we helped her, but I believe she actually helped us even more because she has so much to give to other students and to the college.”

香珀特说，费拉罗希望她的生活经历有意义，并推动她前进。

“My hope is that Grace will do for others what she believes we’ve done for her,” Shumpert said. “In her view, we’ve helped her see life in a different light by giving her opportunities to help other students, to lead programs and to be part of a team.”

在Pellissippi的这段时间里，费拉罗发现了自己对心理学的热爱，并相应地换了专业。 She is slated to graduate this spring and will transfer to Bellevue University the following fall to complete her bachelor’s degree.

Her goal is to earn a master’s degree and start a career in clinical mental health, Ferraro said, specifically in equine therapy.

“Deciding to come to college was one of the best decisions I made for myself,” she said. “Tennessee Reconnect makes it so that you can attend as an adult, and they take care of you, and they check in with you and there's already a support system for you.”

“So, for the adults that are intimidated, I say go for it,” Ferraro continued. “Because there's nothing you regret in learning. There’s nothing you regret in stepping out and trying something.”