With graduation in sight, Mariea is contemplative about the benefits of getting her degree at Notre Dame College. “Before coming to Notre Dame, I learned that even if you work hard and are good at your job, you can be intimidated because the workforce is becoming educated. You need a college degree to be competitive anymore.”

After her first year in the Weekend College at Notre Dame, Mariea realized that not only could she earn a college degree, but she could earn it with honors. “I had been out of school 20 years when I went into WECO. Even though I felt a little rusty at first, it wasn’t long before I got back into the swing of things with studying and preparing for tests. Pretty soon, I realized not only could I do this, but I really loved it!”

Notre Dame’s tradition of personalized attention helps WECO create a unique learning community for adult students. Mariea credits this environment for much of her success. “It was important to be in an adult atmosphere. It was something I really appreciated. There were no cell phones ringing in class, and nobody was talking when the professor was talking. We were all here to learn.”

Now, Mariea is planning a future as college graduate, and will graduate with honors. “My time at Notre Dame has been incredible. I’m going to miss it so much. But now I have a college degree, and that is something that nobody can ever take away from me.”