May Newsletter
Michelle Worstell
The Compass Blog:
Michele Worstell’s Path to GraduationMichele Worstell will be the first in her family to graduate from college and her initial thought when asked about how she feels,
“I just hope my sons are proud of me.”
Michele comes from a blue-collar working class family who prioritized finishing high school and moving immediately into the workforce.
“I’m 58. I grew up in a blue-collar family, and no one in my family went to college. I went from high school to work. College wasn’t encouraged.”
Despite the path she took early on in life, Michele will walk across the stage at the Santa Fe Community College gymnasium to receive her diploma. She will be among the eldest of her peers to graduate after finding her calling later in life.
“As I got older, my mission in life was to be a counselor and to help people. You need degrees to become a counselor, so that put me back at school.”
Pivoting your life and changing your career is tough on its own, and paying for college is an additional burden. Thankfully, Michele obtained financial aid and assistance from the Santa Fe Community College Foundation so she could focus on school and follow her new found passion.
“Receiving scholarships has been imperative in my school progress. I’m full-time and taking up to 15 credit hours, so I have not been able to work in order to keep up my grades. The scholarship has been so helpful. I would not have been able to do it without the scholarship. I’m so pleased with the teachers at the SFCC. The level of quality of teachers has just been so wonderful.”
Michele’s journey is a testament to pursuing your calling whenever it sparks in life. With the help of financial aid and support from the SFCC Foundation, Michele will achieve her degree and take the first step towards a new life. Her story is a reminder that it’s never too late to pursue your dreams, and support from others can make all the difference.
Spring Commencement
Date & Time
Date: 5/13/2023
Time: 10:00 am – 12:00 pm
Event Categories: Academic Calendar, Featured
Location: William C. Witter Fitness Education Center
6401 Richards Ave. Santa Fe, NM 87508
Kelly A. Marquez, MBA
Executive Director
kelly.marquez@sfcc.edu