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Perseverance is Key for HiSET/GED Graduates
July 2022
QCC held a graduation ceremony for students receiving their HiSET/GED on June 13, 2022 in the Hebert Auditorium, on QCC's main campus. Director of Testing Laura Tino led the event and noted how special it was to hold the ceremony in person for the first time since the pandemic began.
Graduate Ivan Ramos spoke to the crowd about how his younger self would never believe how far he made it and how having children encouraged him to change his life.
"Reenlisting in school was almost as terrifying as teaching my daughters how to drive but the supportive staff and encouragement of the students went a long way. Those countless days of living with regret are over. The road has been long and difficult, but we deserve this. I encourage each and every one of you to brag about this," Mr. Ramos said.
Another graduate Amy Gustafson shared her story about the painful decision to leave school due to health reasons and how hard it was to start again while being a working mother. Amy persevered and after receiving her HiSET/GED she enrolled at QCC.
"My life is complicated and my goals seemed to always be on hold. But I said to myself, even if failure happens, don't quit. My advice is to never give up, no matter how long it takes. Believe me, I faced a lot of barriers; some knocked me down but I got back up again and succeeded," she told her classmates.
QCC President Luis G. Pedraja, Ph.D., addressed the graduates with his thoughts on the importance of education and perseverance in the face of challenges.
"My advice to you is don't stop here. You've accomplished a lot and you should be proud of that and your family and all those who supported you should be proud of that. But don't stop here. You never know how much you accomplish until you try. Regardless of the obstacles, believe that you can do it. This is your first step in a journey of bettering yourself, learning, and giving back to the community," Dr. Pedraja said.
Visit QCC's HiSET/GED Preparation and High School Equivalency Testing for more information.
