When Mia Rojo first arrived at Oklahoma City Community College (OCCC) in 2006, she wasn’t certain she’d ever cross the graduation stage. Today, this proud OCCC alumna helps adult learners achieve their academic goals as the pipeline programs manager at the Oklahoma City Public Schools (OKCPS) Foundation.

As a first-generation college student and an adult learner, Rojo was hesitant at first about pursuing a college degree. Navigating higher education felt overwhelming, she said.

“At the beginning, when I started college as an adult student, I felt like college was not for me and that I did not belong,” Rojo said.

She enrolled at OCCC in 2006, balancing classes while working on campus. With encouragement from OCCC professors and staff members, she stayed on track. By 2010, she earned two degrees.

“My professors at OCCC always pushed me to be better and to continue working until I reached my degree,” she said. “Pursuing higher education was not easy for me, so completing my master’s degree was amazing. It showed me, and hopefully others, that barriers can truly be broken.”

While at OCCC, Rojo worked in records, enrollment and financial aid, gaining more than a decade of firsthand experience supporting students through the college process. That experience shaped her passion for helping adult learners succeed. Now, as pipeline programs manager, she guides students, many with backgrounds like hers, on their path to becoming certified teachers.

A pathway to teaching careers

The Teacher Pipeline Program, a partnership between OCCC, OKCPS and the University of Central Oklahoma, provides a direct path for aspiring educators. The program covers educational costs beyond financial aid and offers students hands-on classroom experience as paraprofessionals. In return, participants commit to teaching in OKCPS for at least three years after completing the program.

“The Teacher Pipeline gives OCCC the opportunity to work directly with OKCPS paraprofessionals,” said Michael Hoggatt, director of recruitment at OCCC. “This program allows OCCC to help produce the next generation of Oklahoma’s teachers.”

“Every time a student completes their teacher certification, I get emotional because I know their life will change for the better,” Rojo said. “In return, they’ll make a positive impact in the lives of students that come through their classrooms.”

This article was originally published here.