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<\/figure>\u201cMy time at Austin Community College has been truly transformative,\u201d says Ashley. \u201cAs a nontraditional student, I came to ACC with a deep love of learning but also a lot of uncertainty. I wasn\u2019t sure how I\u2019d fit in or where I\u2019d find my place, but ACC quickly became more than just a college. It became a community.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ashley began at ACC in 2008. She completed her Associate of Arts in General Studies in Liberal Arts in spring 2025. During her time at ACC, she jumped into campus life, serving as a Riverbat Ambassador, leading Collegiate DECA as president, participating in the Honors Program, and hosting events like the Wonder of Literature Fair\u2013\u2013 an event to help celebrate literary creativity and academic discovery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThese experiences helped me grow not just as a student, but as a leader, advocate, and future educator,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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This fall, Ashley will transfer to the University of Texas at Austin (UT). She was one of 13 ACC students celebrating their transfer to UT at this year\u2019s event. Others are heading to Texas State, Baylor, Texas Tech, Angelo State, Texas A&M-Central Texas, Southern Methodist, St. Edward\u2019s, the University of Southern California Marshall School of Business, and more. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt feels like a dream that\u2019s finally starting to come true,\u201d says Ashley. \u201cTransferring to UT-Austin is both exciting and a little surreal. I\u2019ve worked really hard to get here, balancing school, work, leadership roles, and life as a fully independent student, and now I get to take that next step surrounded by a community of thinkers, creators, and change-makers.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ashley credits her transfer specialist, Victor Gonzales, for guiding her through the process with support, strategy, and encouragement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHe was one of the first people to truly see how serious I was about getting to UT-Austin,\u201d she says. \u201cHe helped me stay focused and strategic throughout the process. He encouraged me when I felt overwhelmed and reminded me that my goals were within reach.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She also sends her thanks to: Leticia Botello (my main Advisor), April Seaborne (Student Life Coordinator for San Gabriel Campus), Professor Kathy Walton (DECA Advisor), Professor James Burleson (Latin Professor and Recommendation Letter) and Professor David Lauderback (Honors History II Professor and Letter of Recommendation) for helping her transfer dream come true. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
For Ashley, ACC will always be the place where her journey took root.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThat\u2019s where I found my voice, my confidence, and my purpose,\u201d she says. \u201cNow, I get to bring everything I learned with me to the Forty Acres, and that feels incredibly empowering.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As she prepares to start her next chapter, Ashley has a message for anyone considering college:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDo it. Don\u2019t listen to the voices that say you\u2019re not ready, not smart enough, not the \u2018right kind\u2019 of student. You can do this thing\u2026 Just take that first step. I\u2019m so glad I did, and I promise, you will be too.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n