Inspired by her grandmother’s educational success, Jaycee enrolled in Mountain Empire Community College’s Respiratory Therapy program. Now following in her grandmother’s footsteps, Jaycee plans to graduate in the fall and continue the legacy of saving lives. Read more about her journey below. Have you always wanted to go into respiratory therapy? I didn’t. I originally […]
Empowering Change: Wendi’s Mission to Protect Children Online
Social media is one of the world’s most powerful tools. It can help form connections around the world, grow businesses and start careers. Unfortunately, a platform with that much impact also comes with its own set of risks. Through her own experiences, Wendi Tackett became increasingly aware of the darker side of social media, which […]
Overcoming the Odds: How Jason Found Stability and Success with the Help of G3
Because rural areas often have limited access to four-year universities, community colleges can offer an entry point into higher education for students, and even help lift them out of poverty. That’s exactly what Mountain Empire Community College (MECC) in Wise, Virginia, did for Jason Gilliam. Jason recently graduated as a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN), and […]
Guiding Futures: Pauline’s Journey as a Mountain Empire Community College G3 Advisor
With a degree in human services, Pauline always knew she wanted to help her community thrive. But if you had told her that she would be guiding the careers of Mountain Empire Community College (MECC) students as G3 academic advisor, she wouldn’t have believed you. Read more about how she serves her students below. What […]
Finding a Passion for Patient Care with G3
After graduating high school with her associate’s degree through dual enrollment, Haley Zirkle found her calling by enrolling in a nursing program using G3 tuition assistance. Because her financial obligations were covered by G3, she’s been able to focus on honing her clinical skills and paving her way to the Intensive Care Unit. Learn more […]
Guiding Students to Success: Insights from G3 Advisors at Mountain Empire Community College
It’s always exciting to connect with G3 students, but what about the staff and faculty that are advising and teaching these students? We had the opportunity to speak with a few G3 advisors at Mountain Empire Community College to learn about how they help students achieve success. Amanda Mathews is one of those G3 advisors […]
How Cindy Turned a Free Education into a Career Fighting Elder Abuse
We connected with Cindy Earl back in 2022 about her path to studying criminal justice and owning her own private investigation firm in Portsmouth. As a PI that investigates elder abuse, her inspiring story could stop there, but there’s so much more to it. Cindy first enrolled as a student at Tidewater Community College when […]
How Cal Found Their Path Forward Through Virginia’s Community Colleges
Cal had no idea what they wanted to do after high school, but they didn’t let that stop them from continuing their education. After high school, they enrolled at Tidewater Community College to take the basic core classes. After completing those, they began a Career Studies Certificate in Medical Administrative Assistant, which prepares students for […]
Reaching the Finish Line: Briana’s Path to Motorsport Engineering
When you think about programs you can pursue through Virginia’s Community Colleges, what comes to mind? Probably not motorsport engineering. While this may be a male-dominated field, Briana Wood has never let that deter her from pursuing a career as a motorsport engineer. Briana chose Virginia Western Community College after connecting with Dr. David Barry, […]
Finding a Career Close to Home with G3 Tuition Assistance
Kathleen Turner became a student at Eastern Shore Community College in 2010 for the first time. She had attended a four-year university for three years but moved home to be close to her family because she was expecting a child. But she didn’t want to stay stagnant. She decided to see what her local community […]
