Rebeca will graduate in May 2026 with her associate’s degree and will return to GCC next fall to begin working towards her BA in Elementary Education & Special Education. Her goal is to teach art to elementary school kids. Her path was not always so clear. In high school, she was unsure of her future, or even if she would attend college. No one in her family had ever attended college so it was not an expectation with her parents.
Three things happened that would define her future plans and set her on a path to Glendale Community College. She always loved art but was often told that there was not much of a career or future in it. That changed one day when Rebeca’s high school art teacher encouraged her to enter an art contest. “I won the contest and the prize was $200,” exclaimed Rebeca. “It showed me that it is possible to make money in the art field. My art teacher really helped me realize my talents.” The second thing that happened was that the same art teacher brought in a former student who had graduated from GCC. After that, Rebeca got interested in what GCC had to offer. While she was still in high school, Rebeca enrolled in some classes at GCC. “I decided to take some classes just for the fun of it. I live really close to campus, so it was super convenient. I got so comfortable here that it was only natural for me to enroll after high school graduation. Plus, coming to GCC really allowed me to explore various areas of study, something I would not have been able to do at an expensive university.
Rebeca credits her GCC advisor, Jessica, who was very helpful getting her enrolled in the right classes and kept her on track. “She was super sweet and helped me understand what I needed to do in order to achieve my goals.”
“I’ve really enjoyed my time at GCC. I know that I got off to a great start here, and I am on my way to being an art teacher. I want to make an impact on children’s lives, the way my high school art teacher influenced me.”
When asked if she had any words of advice for fellow students, she said, “It’s okay not knowing what you want to do, it is not okay staying stuck where you are at.”
Thanks, Rebeca, for being a Proud Gaucho and congratulations on your graduation and for starting in the GCC bachelor’s program.