Olivia Torres: As a first-generation college student, this journey was rarely easy

This is a milestone that has been years in the making. As a first-generation college student, this journey was rarely easy; there were setbacks along the way that pushed my timeline back, but they never broke my character. I am incredibly proud to say that I am finishing exactly what I started, proving to myself that I have the heart to never give up. 

My path has been a unique blend of determination and grace. While working full-time, I navigated the clinical demands of my nursing credentials alongside the creative rigors of a Fine Arts degree.  

Balancing these two worlds required a level of discipline I didn't know I possessed. Today, I stand at the end of this chapter not just with a degree, but with the strength of someone who faced every obstacle and kept moving forward. 

Olivia Torres, ‘26 

Associate in Fine Arts 

West Dundee, IL