Brittany Garcia
Richardson, AK
A hurricane and a cross-country move could not stop Brittany from earning her degree
Growing up, school did not come easy for Brittany Garcia. After graduating high school, Brittany put off going to college. Married and expecting a child at 26, Brittany accepted that college may not have been in her future.
In 2018, Hurricane Michael hit the Florida panhandle, devastating the city where she lived. Brittany's husband was in the military, and their family was relocated to Anchorage, AK. After the move, Brittany shifted her focus from her career to being a stay-at-home, and made the time to devote to online schooling by enrolling in her first diploma program. Earning her diploma online gave Brittany the confidence to pursue an Associate's degree at Ashworth College, and then earn her Bachelor's degree in less than two years.
With the flexibility and support that Ashworth College's online degree programs offered, Brittany became the first member of her family to earn a college degree. She credits Ashworth College with giving her the academic confidence—and the funds, given she has no student loans to pay off—to pursue her Master's degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. Brittany now hopes to achieve her dream of becoming a therapist, after a regionally accredited college accepted her Ashworth College credits in full for a pathway to a Ph.D.
"I cannot even express how proud I am to be an alumna of an incredible school like Ashworth College. The support, affordability, and flexibility are unmatched. This school has opened so many doors to provide an amazing future for myself and for my daughter."