HCC alumna defies obstacles to achieve dream

Apr 5, 2016

Houston Community College (HCC) alumna Charlotte Swanks credits HCC for making her dream of earning a college degree a reality. Her 12-year journey in pursuing a college degree has been filled with struggles of raising a child, financial challenges, a death in the family, and other unexpected circumstances.

“I put myself on the back burner numerous times just to assure my child’s stability and growth, as well as my sanity,” Swanks said. “With strong determination, the compassion and simplicity of the HCC education system, I finally got back into school and back on course.”

Swanks believes her HCC education helped with a job promotion. The new position offers her a salary increase and new title of Senior Claims Examiner Team Lead at AIG/American General Life Insurance Company, an American International Group with 90 million customers globally and a network of approximately 65,000 employees in more than 100 countries and jurisdictions.

Swanks added, “My degree has given me many opportunities for advancement. I highly recommend and encourage others to continue their education for this changing world.”

Swanks graduated HCC with her Associate degree in Business Technology and plans to continue her studies at the University of Houston. Her perseverance and hard work to achieve a higher education set a positive example for her daughter, who recently graduated from Prairie View A&M University and is pursuing a Master’s degree. Swanks suggests others consider HCC as their college of first choice, because at HCC expectations and dreams are closer than you think.

Registration is underway for summer semester. To sign up, please go to: hccs.edu/apply.