Andria

For Andria, returning to college meant finding a place that worked for her life, family, and budget. Growing up in Bronzeville on Chicago’s South Side, she attended Bronzeville High School and went straight to college. But after taking a break, the cost of attending a four-year institution led her to reconsider her options.

She returned to Kennedy-King College to complete her general education requirements. The flexibility allowed her to fit classes around her schedule while balancing her responsibilities as a mom.

“It was easy for my lifestyle, and I was able to cater my classes around the times that I knew that I would be able to take those,” Andria said.

At Kennedy-King, she also found professors who invested in their students and genuinely cared about their success.

“I was not used to teachers actually taking that much time to care about the students,” she said.

Support from One Million Degrees helped Andria recognize new possibilities, too. While talking with one of the program’s coaches, she found the encouragement she needed to pursue her dream of starting her own stationery company.

Andria is studying journalism because of her love for writing. In addition to launching her own business, she hopes to work for a marketing firm or on an organization’s marketing team. Her hard work culminated in a significant achievement: being named Kennedy-King’s 2025 salutatorian. When she received the email announcing the honor, she was shocked. After reflecting on her journey and talking with family and friends, she began to recognize how much she had accomplished.

After graduating from Kennedy-King, Andria plans to return to Columbia College Chicago to complete her bachelor’s degree in journalism by the end of December. Next, she hopes to pursue a master’s degree in marketing.

For Andria, becoming salutatorian proves that success doesn’t require following a traditional path. With the right support and flexibility, students can pursue their goals while balancing life’s responsibilities.