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Christina Ahn was just looking for a class to fill a requirement for her Associate of Arts degree in Transfer Studies. In the process, she learned she had an affinity for business. “I really liked it, and I could see myself pursuing a business career,” she said.
Ahn has found so much more than that at AACC. She’s found support, and wishes other students knew more about everything AACC has to offer. “There's the food pantry, that's really great. If you forgot a meal, you can just go there and they'll help you," she said. “And definitely my professors and my fellow classmates and my advisors. They help me a lot.”
After starting AACC in 2020, Ahn said she became discouraged at the unknowns of the COVID pandemic. “That was so hard,” she said. But after a brief break she came back and is now on track to transfer to a four-year school.
“I'm really grateful for all the support I got, and I'm really proud of my GPA,” she said. “I tried really hard to get good grades. ... I'm just proud of being able to get through the troubles of the pandemic and just starting again.”
Through all the ups and downs, her family has always motivated her. “I really want to get my degree because none of my family members have a degree, and I really want to get that bachelor's," she said. “I want to get a good job so I can support my family.”
Ahn has alternated between online and in-person courses. Her plan was to knock out the classes that came more naturally with virtual instruction. The courses that were more of a challenge to her, like math and Korean, were taken in person.
When on campus, Ahn said her favorite part of the day came when classes were over. “I like to meet my friends after class. I feel like that's the highlight of my day. That definitely helps me get through my classes, so I'll just eat lunch with them."