Hope and determination, times three

College is a time for students to explore their passions and interests, which typically leads to a single degree path. When KimLinh Ngo began her college journey at Georgia Gwinnett College (GGC) she started down one path, but that led to three. When she graduates from GGC on Dec. 14, she will be the first student in GGC history to do so with three bachelor's degrees - and all on the same day.

"When I first started at GGC, I was a full-time student taking five classes while working at two restaurants," she said.

During her teenage years, Ngo was drawn to a health care career, particularly nursing. So, she started at GGC as a pre-nursing student.

"I did well in my health care courses, but I felt my passion for nursing starting to fade," she said.

Her advisor, Janice Alves, instructor of mathematics, became an instrumental guide for Ngo throughout her GGC journey. Ngo learned about the college's health science degree with a patient navigation concentration, so she switched to that path. As she neared the completion of the program, the spark that led her there started to fade. She reached out to Alves for guidance.

"She asked me if there was a course I had really enjoyed during my time at GGC, and the class that immediately came to mind was Introduction to Programming. I found programming to be both challenging and exciting, and it was a field that sparked my curiosity in a way that other courses hadn't," Ngo said.

Determined, Ngo wanted to complete the patient navigation program, and with Alves' help, she filled out the double degree application to add bachelor's degrees in business administration and management information systems.

"Thanks to her guidance, I was able to merge my newfound passion for technology with a solid foundation in business, which set me on a clear path toward achieving my career goals," said Ngo.

Balancing the demands of work and studies meant Ngo had to find ways to manage it all.

"I prioritize tasks by deadlines and importance, using a planner to map out my week in advance, which helps me stay on track. I also break my study sessions into smaller, more manageable chunks, which allows me to focus on one thing at a time without feeling overwhelmed," she said. "One key strategy I use is to take advantage of any free time between classes or during work breaks to get some studying done, even if it's just reviewing notes or reading. Using online resources like videos or study guides are helpful when I'm stuck on a topic."

When she first began at GGC, she had three goals - pay for college on her own, avoid debt, and help her parents with bills.

Saving money is something she learned early in life. Her parents immigrated from Vietnam to the United States in the early 1990s. The opportunity for a formal education wasn't available for them. They eventually settled in Duluth, along with Ngo's two brothers and a sister.

"Throughout my life, I've seen them work tirelessly, day and night, to provide for my siblings and me. Both of them work blue-collar jobs at the same company, waking up at 3 a.m. Monday through Friday and coming home around 4 p.m. After work, they sometimes take on landscaping jobs for extra income. On weekends, they're up at 8 a.m. and work until sundown doing more landscaping," Ngo said. "Witnessing their hard work to pay the bills, support our family, and save for emergencies has been a huge motivation for me. It's made me determined to work harder so one day I can retire them and ease their burdens."

On graduation day, Ngo will be wearing a traditional Vietnamese dress called an áo dài under her cap and gown. In Vietnamese culture, red symbolizes happiness, luck, love and celebration.

Post-graduation, Ngo is hopeful and determined to start her new, professional journey.

"I'm confident that persistence and hard work will pay off, and I'm committed to finding a position in either data analysis or software engineering that aligns with my career goals," she said.