When Nathaly Zaragoza first started at Germanna, she wasn’t sure college was the right path for her.
“Even in high school, I was considering if I should even go to college,” she said. Her parents encouraged her to give it a try, so she enrolled.
Once she got to Germanna, though, she discovered that she really enjoyed business and began to see college as something she wanted for herself.
Zaragoza graduated from Germanna in May with a degree in business administration and is now continuing her studies at the University of Mary Washington, where she is also studying business.
Her original goal was to work in her father’s construction company because family is important to her. But working with the Germanna Community College Educational Foundation has opened her eyes to another possibility: a career in higher education.
“I really like higher education,” she said. “It’s motivating because there’s a really good purpose for the work we’re doing.”
Zaragoza began working with the Foundation in February, helping with scholarships, special events, and other projects. She has also experienced the Foundation’s support as a student, receiving a scholarship and assistance through the Germanna Guarantee Program, a need-based scholarship initiative.
That financial support made a difference. “It is definitely a weight off your shoulders,” she said.
With college expenses adding up and siblings also preparing for college, that support made continuing her education more manageable.
As a first-generation college student, earning a college degree represents the sacrifices her parents made to create better opportunities for her and her siblings.
“Every class I complete and every goal I reach is a way of honoring their hard work and showing them that their sacrifices were worth it,” she said.
For Zaragoza, college has meant finding her way, recognizing opportunities, and becoming confident enough to pursue them.
“Germanna became a place where I discovered my potential. The professors, staff, and opportunities I found there gave me the confidence to believe in myself and prepared me for the next chapter of my education.”