Jessica Nguyen learned the hard way that “education is a privilege,” and that it’s never too late to try again — even if it took her two decades after leaving college to discover her second chance.
“To be honest, I spent a couple of years incarcerated, and I thought that was the end of me,” says Jessica. Once released, the single mom wanted to build a better life for herself and her son. Instead, she found herself stuck in minimum-wage jobs. “It was just so sad at the end of the night,” Jessica recalls. “I hated it.”
Ready for a new start, Jessica returned to Saddleback College, where she had already completed her prerequisites in 2006. After a long hiatus, the first-generation college student was finally ready to pick her major and prove to her family — and to herself — that this time, she could do it.
Her very first English class was about the growth mindset, and Jessica knew this was a sign that she was in the right place:
“I was like, ‘Oh my God, I was in the fixed mindset before,” says the student, who now understands that nothing in life comes easy, but she does have what it takes to tackle challenges. “I’m here with the growth mindset now,” Jessica says. “I’m taking every single day with grace and love for myself.”
Returning to school as a parent student is tough, but Jessica says the counselors in the EOPS and CARE programs make all the difference. “They keep you motivated and on track,” says the grateful bobcat. “They also help fund books, and they extend a couple of grants throughout the year to help you manage everything.”
Best of all, Jessica has found that many of her counselors were once parent students just like her. “It’s been a blessing to have their support,” says Jessica. “It’s really nice to hear someone who has that perspective and been through it.”
Raising her five-year-old son while balancing work and school can be overwhelming at times, but Jessica’s counselors are there for her every step of the way.
“Sometimes, it’s hard to get myself out of a funk... I just don’t know what to do,” says the student. But after a helpful counselor “pep talk,” Jessica always finds renewed perspective: “I’m doing the best I can. It’s not easy, but the goal is worth it.”
To stay on track, Jessica checks in with a counselor three times each semester. She values how these sessions often lead to helpful resources like tutoring, further supporting her success.
“The meetings with the counselors are the most helpful part of being in the program,” Jessica says.
EOPS (Extended Opportunity Programs and Services) helps underrepresented students in their academic, career, and personal growth, including first-generation college students like Jessica, non-native English speakers, and emancipated foster youth. And EOPS students who receive CalWORKs aid and are single parents also qualify for CARE (Cooperative Agencies Resources for Education), which provides additional benefits.
According to Counselor Joanne Benschop, “We do see a lot of students like Jessica who may have detoured from college for several years who may feel behind.” Saddleback counselors are uniquely positioned to help: They have a master’s in psychology, counseling, or social work, which enables them to offer personal support and motivation. They are also trained in the nuances of transfer and technical degree counseling, which requires significant attention to detail and expertise. As Joanne says, “Counselors really know the ins and outs, so that’s why it’s very important to meet with your counselor every semester.”
Another benefit for EOPS and CARE students is priority registration, which ensures that busy single parents like Jessica can secure schedules that will fit with their childcare needs.
“Saddleback offers a lot of different classes at different times for our schedules to be flexible,” says Jessica, who has also taken advantage of convenient online and hybrid classes.
Extra financial aid opportunities are also critical: “Financial and basic needs support is also there for them; they often just need to be pointed in the right direction,” says Joanne.
In fact, Jessica recently attended a conference for parent students and was awarded a $400 scholarship. “It came right in time for my son’s birthday,” says the student, who was grateful that she could celebrate the family milestone without financial stress.
“After feeling a lot of despair, school has given me a lot of hope,” says Jessica. “As hard as it is, every single day, I am so grateful… It is a privilege to be educated, to be sitting in a class with other students.”
Looking back, Jessica says she is proud of the progress she’s made — and the grit and determination she’s developed to stay the course. When she first attempted college twenty years ago, she says, “I never completed — I always just gave up.” Fast forward to the present, and all that has changed. “My last semester in the fall was the first time I really sat through my classes, and I did it.”
Currently majoring in nutrition, Jessica plans to start a career in the food industry as a nutritional researcher. She aims to transfer to CSU Long Beach next year to earn her bachelor’s degree.
Jessica celebrates turning 38 this month, and she says this birthday marks a true turning point in her comeback story:
“I’m earning my degree for my kid. I’m doing it for myself,” says Jessica. “I love myself enough to just do it.”