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Meet Michael Chandler, EnRich HVAC & Culinary Student

“I chose �����쿪���ֳ�ֱ�� because my daughter was accepted to the Prep Academy program, and she was nervous about if she could complete it. I told her as long as you do hard work and get good grades, you’ll be able to attend. And she said, ‘Well if I’m going to college, why wouldn’t you?’ I told her I’m a lot older. I haven’t been to school in 20+ years. And she said, ‘With hard work and with good grades, you can do it too.’”

After more than 20 years of working odd jobs, Michael Chandler made the decision to go back to college. But this time would be different. When Michael had just graduated high school, he had gone to a different community college. Then, he felt like nothing made him feel enough passion to keep him there. So, when Michael chose to go to �����쿪���ֳ�ֱ��, he knew he needed to be passionate about his studies. That’s why he chose to study EnRich HVAC while taking Culinary classes.

“I love to cook. I love going out, eating, and trying new foods,” he said. “Chef Kalata made couscous salad, and I had never heard of it before. It’s a Mediterranean salad, which has every vitamin in the human body. And it just blew me away; I couldn’t believe that. So I tried it and stopped by Kroger on my way home. I just wanted to show the kids that we don’t need to eat McDonald’s, Hardees, and stuff. We can actually have great food.”

While he explores his passion for Culinary Arts, Michael is preparing for a career in HVAC. He had graduated from trade school when he was in his early twenties, but the school did not follow through on their promise to help with job placement. Michael said he knows that will not be the case with EnRich HVAC.

“With the EnRich program, they told me, ‘If you graduated today, we have something lined up for you already. But we need you to take the program, get certified, get your degree, and as soon as you get there, we’re there for you. We’re not going to push you out the door and say get a job. We’re there for you at least a year after you’ve graduated to make sure you have the right contacts that you need just to make you be better.’ And I love that �����쿪���ֳ�ֱ�� offers that. I’ve heard nothing but good things from everyone who has completed the program.”

Meet XuMeng Liu, Accounting Student

“I graduated high school in China. I moved here 7 years ago. Since then, I’ve been a stay at home mom. When my son started preschool, that’s when I thought, ‘Oh, I have time for myself. It’s time for me. I need to reach my college goal.’”

When XuMeng Liu first decided to go back and earn her college degree, she started her journey by taking English as a Second Language at �����쿪���ֳ�ֱ��. From there, she went on to earn her GED and now is working towards her associates. At first, XuMeng thought she wanted to go into nursing, but before she entered the program, �����쿪���ֳ�ֱ�� gave her the chance to explore the field.

“I toured the facility, and I realized I’m heartbroken for whoever needs help,” she said. “The moment hit me like this is not for me. I feel grateful. [�����쿪���ֳ�ֱ�� gives] you the choice and lets you see what you will deal with. That made me switch and made me think about what I want to do and what I’m good at.”

XuMeng decided to explore her love for numbers through the Accounting program, and she isn’t looking back. And with the help of scholarships, she is free to explore her future career without a heavy monetary pressure.

“When I got my GED, my first semester, I got a full scholarship. I was a stay-at-home mom, not working, and at the same time, I am going to school. It just takes the financial barrier off my shoulders and lets me focus more on studying,” she said. “Now, I can show my kids it’s never too late to go to school or do something for your life.”

Meet Shiann Currie, Horticulture Student

“Before �����쿪���ֳ�ֱ��, I was actually living in St. Louis. An incident occurred and my home was set on fire. I moved back home on chance with my daughter,” said Shiann Currie. “[Horticulture] wasn’t something that I realized I wanted to pursue as a career until I came back home. Speaking with people here at �����쿪���ֳ�ֱ��, it opened my perspective of what’s truly possible here.”

When Shiann and her daughter moved back to Decatur, IL after their home was set on fire, it gave Shiann a chance to reconnect with her lifelong passion: nature. Since she started attending �����쿪���ֳ�ֱ��, Shiann has been able to explore her love for plants and chase her dream of owning a business.

“Free Nature LLC is my business. It is a progressive plant shop. I travel and do events for the moment. Eventually, I will have a lounge where people can enjoy the greenhouse, support local live artists, and a number of different things,” she said. “Being able to shape my business here at �����쿪���ֳ�ֱ�� is the ultimate entrepreneurial safety net. I was able to mentally come up with an idea, voice my concerns to any staff member I come in contact with, and I was always directed toward where I might want to go.”