A New Career Offers Hope to a Grieving Family
Gisselle Aguilera always dreamed of going to college but after high school it felt like warehouse jobs and getting by was enough. When her brother was killed in 2023, she made a vow to do something different not only for herself but for her entire family.
“That experience changed my view and perspective in life in so many ways,” she said “All my life my mom has been my best friend. She is the person who has always believed in me and had high hopes for me and all of her kids. Seeing my mom grieving and just going through so much made me finally get the motivation to enroll myself in college. I want to be able to give her a thank you for all she has sacrificed for us as her kids. I want to be the first of her six kids to graduate and do something with my life.”
Gisselle’s friend recommended UEI College in West Covina and Gisselle gave them a call. She decided to enroll in the Dental Assisting program. She didn’t know what to expect at first and was nervous to return to school after five years away, but the experience “blew her away.”
“Growing up, in all my schools I’ve been to, I’ve always been so shy and nervous,” she said. “I guess you can also say I was embarrassed to actually participate in any group assignments or just speak up when I would have trouble in a certain subject. That changed when I came to this school and joined the Dental Assistant Program. Having teachers who are so patient and understanding and always willing to help, gives me the confidence and trust to be able to feel comfortable in asking for help if I’m having a hard time understanding anything.”
The instructors at UEI took the time to make sure Gisselle understood all that she was being taught. They would not hesitate to explain a concept in a few different ways or make adjustments to make it easier for Gisselle. In addition to that, they showed they cared for Gisselle as a person.
“It’s the fact that all the staff there are so concerned about everybody,” Gisselle said. “They are so understanding. They take the time to get to know everyone. They will help you with anything you need. They are genuinely concerned with all their students, each and every one of us.”
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While the program gave Gisselle the technical skills she needs for a career in the dental field, the experience also gave her a new way to reach out to her grieving mother.
“As soon as I started school, my mom started to change,” Gisselle shared. “I saw her get the strength to wake up every day and not give up or let sadness take over her day anymore because I believe she feels like she has something to live for because she wants to see the day one of her kids finally goes to college and actually finishes and graduates.
Seeing happiness and joy enter my mom again after losing it for so long gives me the strength and motivation to come to school every day and give it my best.”
Gisselle still has a few months to go to finish her program, but with her newfound experience and skills, she is feeling confident about what the future holds.
“It’s never too late to want to change your life,” she said. “I wasted five years living paycheck to paycheck and now I’m less than 4 months from graduating and having a career. That’s so much faster than all the time I wasted. It’s never too late to want to change. I feel like it makes me more ambitious every day. I’m so much closer to finally having a career. I like what I’m doing and what I chose to study. I come to school every day, excited to learn something new. I know once I get a career I will love what I’m doing every day.”
