She had been a wife, was a mother and grandmother, and was employed as a professional caregiver, but Angelina Lucio still had goals in life that she was determined to achieve. One was to graduate from college with an associate's degree. That's how she found Yavapai College.

Verde Valley resident, Angelina Lucio was married, raised two children, and worked long hours as a caregiver to elderly patients, but when her 32-year marriage ended, she decided to consider what else she could do for herself. “I knew I wanted to go to college, but I had never graduated from high school. Getting a GED was the first step. I didn’t think I would pass, but it was easier that I thought it would be,” she said. Angelina also started her own caregiving company so she could make more money. After focusing on building her company for four years, her next step was to start college.

Since she already had a background in healthcare, Angelina thought she would focus on nursing, but she soon discovered that the physical requirements were too much for her. After exploring a few other degrees, she finally decided to pursue an Associate of General Studies, to include her multiple academic interests.

Starting Yavapai College at 58 years old, Angelina was well-aware that challenges, both academic and time management, would need to be overcome. She knew she would need help with reading and math. She said, “Everyone at Yavapai College was so helpful. I used the tutors at the Learning Center, especially for math. They also helped me with PowerPoint, which I had never used before.”

Since she was working 60+ hours per week, Angelina initially took two classes per semester. As she gained confidence in her abilities, she added two classes during the summer and increased her load to three classes during spring/fall semesters. The changes meant she earned her degree faster.

Angelina took most classes online, which allowed her to study while her clients slept. Even with excellent time management skills, Angelina was sometimes overwhelmed with the work-life-education balance. “My SSS TRIO advisor, Linda Evans, was fantastic. She reminded me of deadlines for scholarship applications and kept track of the classes I needed to take since they were not offered every semester. Her timely interventions saved me many times and It was clear that she really wanted me to succeed,” she said.

After four years of perseverance, Angelina graduated with Honors in Spring 2020 with an Associate of General Studies. She is also a Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) member, an organization that recognizes academic achievement of college students. Linda Evans said, “Angelina is a non-traditional student who came to Yavapai College after raising a family and suddenly needing to support herself. She is a lovely human being and provides such an incredibly important service (hospice care) to the community. She was always a joy to work with too. I am SO proud of her!”

Angelina was disappointed that she didn’t get to have a graduation ceremony due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, she reminds herself that she is proof that a person can accomplish their goals—no matter what their age. “Recently, my 21-year old granddaughter told me that I was an inspiration to her because I showed her that I can accomplish anything, no matter what the circumstances. I’m really proud about that,” she said.