Meet Stephanie

Stephanie has been on an exciting journey through the medical field. She started out in medical billing and coding but wanted to get more hands-on in the field. While she was raising four children, she worked and became a CNA and then an LPN.  As her kids got older she decided to come to HACC to become an RN and she recently graduated from the nursing program!

“Being a mom and struggling with anxiety really placed some hurdles in my way. Because of the support of my husband, my kids, and the HACC tutors, I was able to persevere through the program.” 

“Utilize all of the resources available to you especially if you have testing anxiety or issues. My professor helped me get connected to the counseling service that HACC provides for students. It doesn’t make you any less of a person to use those services. Now I’m moving on to get my BSN!”

Meet Kirah

"I was really unsure of what I wanted to do with my future after high school. So I decided to attend HACC because it was affordable, near home, and I could get the same quality of education as at a 4-year school. Obviously, attending college during the pandemic was difficult, but I learned that I really do appreciate and value in-person education."

"Recently I was offered an interview for a Dispatcher position with First Aid & Safety in Lebanon. As I was preparing, I started to realize the skills I had gained during my time at HACC and I’m certain it helped me to stand out during my interview. I received and accepted the job offer 2 months before I graduated!"

"Before my last year at HACC, I was accepted into the Bucknell Community College Scholars Program and it has motivated and inspired me to continue my education. I recently applied to Bucknell’s Management and Organizations major." 

Meet Dariely

Like many students, Dariely started HACC not sure which major she wanted to pursue. As a first-generation college student, her family strongly encouraged her to start working towards a degree, but which one? Even though she was uncertain about her future, she felt very supported at HACC. “I was really comfortable reaching out to my advisor, Iesha. Anytime I had questions she always made herself available to me." With her advisor's support, Dariely chose Business Administration and has worked hard to earn her degree. 

"Iesha recommended Millersville University to me as a next step and I am happy to announce I was recently accepted into their General Business bachelor’s degree program!"

"If I could give future students any advice, I’d say to take advantage of the tutoring center, they are always ready to help us out!”

Meet Junior

Junior is a first-generation college student who moved to the States from Haiti in 2010. At first, he struggled to find a major that was the right fit for him. He started with Nursing, then changed to Computer Networking, and finally found his passion in Business with a concentration in Marketing. 

“I have to share that Professor Madden and SGA are part of the reason I completed my program. SGA really helped bring me out of my shell, I even was the mascot at a few different events."

“Remember, there are no wrong questions. Say what's on your mind. If you don’t know something always ask for help. HACC is there to help you, you’re not the first person to go through what you’re going through and if HACC can’t help then they’ll find the right people to help you.”

Junior is grateful to HACC for teaching him how to start and run a business. He recently launched his own freelance clothing business!

Meet Ali

Ali started off at a private 4-year college and struggled to connect with his professors and classmates and felt lost in the shuffle. He decided that college wasn’t for him and came back home to Harrisburg to work. After some time passed he decided to give HACC a try and was astonished by the support and accessibility of HACC’s staff & faculty.

“The staff & faculty at HACC seem to emphasize that they're open to conversations. Even though it can be intimidating or you may feel like you’re not intelligent enough, they are open to questions. Talk with other staff at HACC too, if you have problems with your laptop, need directions, or have parking issues, just communicate."

"I am really happy I came to HACC, it was the right decision.”

Meet Jessica

Jessica, a veteran of the US Army and a member of the Army Reserves, initially joined HACC with the simple aim of gaining some experience. Over several years, she diligently worked through her courses, and now, she proudly stands as one of our recent graduates in Criminal Justice.

Throughout her time at HACC, Jessica engaged in all three class modalities: in-person, virtual, and remote. Balancing family commitments with her studies, she found this flexibility immensely valuable and expressed her gratitude to HACC for providing these options.

Encouraging her fellow students, Jessica emphasizes the importance of utilizing available services such as tutoring and the library, advocating for active participation in class by turning on cameras and taking thorough notes. "The professors are really down to earth and won’t shy away from questions.” 

Looking ahead, Jessica's aspirations lie in securing a position within juvenile court, focusing on either administration or record keeping.

Meet Samantha

After several years as a music teacher in the Connecticut school system, Sam was laid off due to budget cuts. It was devastating at first and she had to find an office job to make ends meet. During that role, she started working closely with the IT department and really enjoyed it. One of her coworkers suggested she go back to school, but returning to school later in life was a nerve-wracking idea. 

Fast forward two years and now Sam is graduating from the CIS program. “I had a really good experience! Professor Hall was phenomenal at making all ages feel comfortable and Professor Meck was extremely helpful at preparing me for the future and helping me see how it all works in the real world!”

“Know WHY you’re going to HACC, even if you don’t know what career you want yet, don’t forget why you’re here.”