Julia Vergara was a mom raising young kids when she decided to change careers and go back to school.

“I have always enjoyed writing and I wanted to pursue that.”

Julia began studying journalism and creative writing, saying it was intimidating at first, but she was pleasantly surprised by how understanding everyone at KPU was, adding, “I had to juggle parenting with studying but there was so much support here that allowed me to succeed.”

And succeed she did. In addition to completing her degree and being a scholarship recipient, Julia is now helping others return to their education as a project coordinator and learning navigator at KPU, while pursuing a master’s degree.

“The skills I learned during my degree helped me in both my career and my other academic endeavours. I want to share what I was going through and show others the community that exists and see that sense of belonging. There’s others facing similar challenges and sharing what you’re going through helps alleviate some of the pressure.”