By Holly Walker
“I gained a deep passion for learning and exploring life. I reinvented myself.” – Elena Brancato
Elena Brancato wants to be a role model for her son. She also wants to challenge herself and realize new successes in the workforce. Elena worked for a while as an office manager at a marketing firm but said the benefits did not allow her to create a sustainable and comfortable life for her and her child. So, she started looking at options. With the support of a workforce organization, Elena honed her resume writing and other skills and researched career advice given to her. One suggestion: go to John Tyler Community College and become a nurse.
With her interest piqued, Elena went to the college and was greeted with what she described as, “friendly faces and open arms.” She signed up and began taking classes. Elena said she was quickly impressed with Tyler’s faculty, who took time to teach students how to learn, not just how to memorize subject content. She also made another discovery: that she wanted to work in communications, not nursing. So, she switched majors and entered the General Studies, Mass Communications Specialization. She also got involved in student activities, joining clubs and the honor society and becoming a student ambassador. “I learned to gain confidence,” she said. “I gained valuable experiences through it all.” Elena is excited about the direction she’s moving in, because it will allow her to develop skills that can be utilized in a wide variety of workplace environments.
Next up for Elena – Virginia Commonwealth University. Elena plans to major in public relations and minor in media studies, and then, put her newly honed communications skills to work.