We often hear about the tremendous accomplishments that our graduates achieve once they have completed their time at Hallmark University. From new careers and opportunities to new families and businesses, graduates from Hallmark often achieve new milestones in their lives that we couldn’t be more proud of. But the road to graduation can be difficult, and the temptation to give up is sometimes strong. We recently talked to Franchial Barnes, an AAS Medical Assistant Graduate, about what kept her in school when it got tough. Her answer details part of what makes Hallmark University special – the support of her instructors.
Franchial Barnes enrolled in Hallmark University’s Medical Assistant program, looking to receive her Associate of Applied Science. But even from the start, she was having trouble completing her courses, with certain areas of her training proving to be difficult to endure.
“I was involved in different programs at Hallmark, and there were certain things that I was having trouble doing, and it started to get to me,” Franchial recently said. “I wanted to quit, but the faculty wouldn’t let me. They told me I could do it, and I needed to have confidence in myself, and I can do this job. I told them I would think about it and try, but I did it. I still stay in touch with faculty at Hallmark.”
Franchial went on to graduate as part of the dean’s list with a 3.8 GPA and was inducted into Alpha Beta Kappa, accomplishments that are openly admired by her coworkers. Today, Franchial works as both a Pharmacy Technician and a Medical Assistant in Brookings, South Dakota, and has expressed interest in receiving a Bachelor’s Degree in Healthcare Administration.
Franchial gave a piece of advice to current students and those who are enduring a difficult time in their lives, “Stick with your dream. If just a piece of you thinks you can do it, pursue it and don’t give up. Talk to someone and keep encouraging other people that are in other situations to stick with it. I’m encouraging other people to go to school, and they feel like they can’t do it. That was me when I started, but my excellent teachers walked me through the process. You need to stick it out and work towards your dream.”