Starting a new life in another country is challenging. So is completing an associate degree, being a parent, and living through a global pandemic.

Yet Jureicy Sanchez De Jimenez of Lawrence managed to do all of those things at once. She moved to the United States from the Dominican Republic in 2016 and, just two years later, enrolled at Northern Essex Community College. Now, she’s about to graduate with an associate’s degree in the business transfer program.

“I faced many challenges,” she said. “I did not know the English language very well when I arrived in this country, but I never gave up. I was willing to learn the language to achieve my associate degree.”

After studying accounting in the Dominican Republic, Sanchez De Jimenez was determined to continue her education here in the United States. Her husband’s family told her about NECC, and soon, Sanchez De Jimenez was working toward her degree.

At first, she started her studies slowly, but an online meeting with her Intro to Business professor, Judith Ciampi, changed everything.

“She told me, ‘If you want to achieve your goals, you need to prioritize the most important things to you because if you don’t do that, you will take ten years in a program that you can finish in two years,’” Sanchez De Jimenez remembers. “Those words are still in my mind, and I dare to say that after that moment, I was more motivated.”

After that pivotal conversation, Sanchez De Jimenez committed herself to her education, taking a break from working for an entire year just to focus on her degree and her family.

“I have two children, so it was so difficult for me to take many classes while having a full-time job and taking care of my family. Now I can say that it was the best decision I ever made when I prioritized my family and school,” she says. “Today, my opportunities for a job in finance are nearer, and I’ll be very happy to share my knowledge with different companies.”

Jureicy Sanchez De Jimenez earned a Business Transfer High Honors award with a 3.7 GPA.

That focus paid off. Not only is Sanchez De Jimenez on track to receive her degree in the summer of 2023, but she also earned academic honors and a spot on the Dean’s List for the fall 2022 semester.

She’s not done yet, though. She plans to continue her education at UMass Lowell to pursue a bachelor’s degree in management with a concentration in accounting. Eventually, she hopes to earn a master’s degree in finance, too.

“I want to help people to manage their finances,” she says. “I feel great satisfaction when I give advice to a friend about their finances, and they tell me that their budgets and money are more organized after they put my advice into action.”

Sanchez De Jimenez’s religious faith, personal drive and determination, and the support she received from the NECC faculty helped her achieve her goals and more.

“When I had any questions, I always found someone who helped me and cleared all my doubts,” she says. “NECC is a place in which you can find great staff to help you to strengthen your weaknesses and that celebrate and reward your victories.”

By Alexandra Pecci