Graduate Alyssa Andrade has overcome major challenges to “become the example she once needed”.
As Front Range Community College celebrates our graduates this May, we hear many powerful stories about their experience—both in college and in life. More often than not, they’re stories of overcoming significant obstacles to reach their dreams.
During our 2026 commencement ceremony, we got to hear from one of these students who shared her own personal experience of struggle and resilience. Here is Alyssa’s inspiring story, in her own words…
Alyssa Andrade: Associate of Arts in Health Sciences
Think back with me: It was August 2021 and we were just coming out of the pandemic. I had just graduated from high school and I wanted to be a nurse… so I made the decision to attend college to pursue my dream.
I walked into FRCC on the first day, unsure of what was next. I felt like I was back in kindergarten—and a familiar sense of anxiety and fear-of-not-belonging washed over me.
“Stop Being Such a Weenie!”
So many moments then flashed through my head: I had been working in hospice care, and I thought of the people I had watched decline and die during COVID. I thought of the moments where I was holding the hand of someone who was taking their last breath, as they longed for their family who had to stay on the other side of the glass.
I thought of my parents who had always had to work long hours in jobs where they weren’t paid what they were worth… to powerful moments with my family when we laughed together and suddenly, all was right with the world.
Somewhere in the middle of it all, I could hear my brother’s voice in my head: telling me “You’re smart, you can do this, and you will do this! Now stop being such a weenie!” (This was his own way of reminding me that he believed in me.)
A Surreal Moment
My name is Alyssa Andrade, and I am honored to be graduating today with an Associate of Arts degree in health sciences.
Standing here in front of all of you right now feels surreal, because this moment is more than a ceremony or a diploma.
It is proof that every late night, every doubt, every challenge and every single sacrifice was worth it.
Today is not just about finishing a degree, it is about us growing and becoming something more.
Making Mistakes, Finding the Way
As a first-generation student, I didn’t think I’d make it this far. I got sent to kindergarten not knowing how to speak English, having to learn a whole different world… not just for me, but for my family.
I didn’t grow up knowing how to apply for college; I didn’t have anyone at home who could explain what FAFSA meant, how to choose a major, how to apply for scholarships, what office hours were, or even what a credit hour was. I had to figure out so much on my own… step by step, mistake by mistake, and lesson by lesson.
Many times, I felt completely out of place. I sat in classrooms surrounded by people who seemed more prepared, more confident, more certain of their path, and I questioned whether I truly belonged.
Overcoming Anxiety… and Algebra
Over the past several years, I’ve dealt with severe anxiety and panic attacks—where I felt like an elephant was sitting on my chest; I had mental breakdowns; I spent late nights crying quietly, wondering if I could keep going—if all of this was even worth it.
I faced financial stress, self-doubt, imposter syndrome and moments of deep exhaustion, including mornings where I woke up completely drained before the day even began.
And the academic road was not easy either…
There were classes that tested me in ways I never expected. College Algebra became one of my biggest battles. The first time I took it, I received my first F ever.
The next two times, I had to withdraw, feeling defeated and questioning whether I was truly cut out for this path. It felt like no matter how hard I tried, I just couldn’t get it right.
Struggling and Getting Help
But what people didn’t always see were the hours behind the scenes. I spent countless hours in the math center. I worked with multiple tutors. I showed up to my professors’ office hours again and again, asking questions even when I felt embarrassed or unsure.
I put in the work, even when the results didn’t come right away.
And then, the fourth time… I finally passed.
Each setback felt heavy, and each failure made me question myself all over again. But those moments didn’t define me—they refined me.
Perseverance Pays Off
And through all of that, I learned something so much more powerful. I learned that being a first-generation student doesn’t mean you’re unprepared, or behind… it means being brave. It means believing in yourself, even when everything seems impossible.
Being a first-generation student means paving that sidewalk while you’re walking on it. It means asking questions when you’re scared to raise your hand.
It means failing and choosing to try again anyway.
Fortaleza a Través de la Familia
It means carrying not just your own dreams, but the dreams of the people who came before you.
Who are those people for you?
For me, I realized: Earning this degree was possible because of the sacrifices my family made to get me to where I am now. My parents both grew up in Chihuahua, Mexico, unable to pursue their own dreams because their families needed them to work. I watched my parents work long hours, miss awards ceremonies, birthdays at school—just to give us the opportunities they never had.
Homework Help… and a New Pair of Jordans
Throughout all of that… my older brother has always shown up for me and kept me going—no matter how hard things got. He attended every award ceremony, even if it meant he had to walk to get there. He taught me math and checked my homework because our parents couldn’t understand it.
He spent his first paycheck on the Jordans I just had to have, so that I could have the same shoes as my classmates. My family believed in a future they couldn’t always see, but trusted anyway.
Carrying Her Roots and Culture
Todo este esfuerzo es para mis padres que llegaron sin nada y me lo dieron todo.
Everything I achieve is rooted in their strength. I carry their courage. Their resilience. Their faith in something better.
I carry my roots, my culture, and the voices that reminded me every single day que sí se puede.
This diploma may have my name on it, but it will forever carry my family’s story. A story that I will carry with me as I take my next steps into nursing school in the fall, with my eyes set on becoming a flight nurse.
Facing New Challenges
As we step into this next chapter, fellow graduates, remember: We are proof that hard things can be done. We are proof that doubt does not get the final word. We are proof that where you start does not determine where you finish.
Ahead, we will face new challenges. New rooms that make us feel small. New moments where we will question ourselves again.
But remember: If we made it through this—through the uncertainty, the pressure, the growth—then we can make it through whatever comes next.
Turning Fear Into Faith
When life gets hard again, remember these moments: The moments you turned sacrifice into success.
The moments you turned fear into faith.
The moments you realized you weren’t searching for the example anymore… because you became the example you once needed.
You Belong Here
As my one of my favorite artists J. Cole says, there’s “No such thing as a life that’s better than yours.” And he is right: The journey I have taken to get here today is uniquely my own, as are the people on this path with me. And I wouldn’t trade it for the world.
To everyone here today, if you have ever felt like you didn’t belong, let this be your reminder: You do.
We belong here.
We earned this.
And we are just getting started.
Thank you, and congratulations to the class of 2026!
