Graduation day at the Toyota Arena was filled with emotion for Yonnalys C., a recent graduate of the Optical Technician program at American Career College’s Ontario campus.
“This is my first big event type thing for myself,” Yonnalys admitted. “I’m feeling excited — and nervous.”
Juggling school while raising kids and supporting a husband transitioning from military service to full-time education, Yonnalys faced a demanding schedule. But she found ACC’s structure and support system crucial to managing it all.
“The flexibility that ACC has… made things a lot easier,” she explained. With her husband at home while she was in class — and vice versa — they made it work.
Before enrolling, Yonnalys had already worked in the optical field and quickly connected with the program.
“I ended up really liking it,” she said. “So I wanted to take a step back from working and see if there were any optical tech programs I could join.”
She found more than just a curriculum at ACC — she found confidence.
“Anytime I had doubts, [Miss K] was always there to tell me that I could do it,” Yonnalys said of her optical tech professor. “She helped out so much.”
Yonnalys now plans to build experience in the field before eventually returning to Ohio and pursuing her dream of working in a hospital — ideally in a pediatric setting.
Reflecting on her journey, she encouraged prospective students not to hesitate. “It’s a shorter program… you’ll be happy that you did it.”
