Alumni Spotlight

Abel Juan 

As a high school student I was never really interested in attending college. Therefore, I never looked into applying for scholarships. I also knew that I wouldn’t be able to afford it. I was then advised to look into CCC as it had a center in Lexington, which is where I lived. I could attend college, live at home, and work all at the same time. After I was admitted I was taking about 15 credit hours and working at Tyson Foods in Lexington. I dropped a semester to be able to attend army basic combat training and when I returned, I was able to finish my schooling at CCC. With the help of CCC’s Veterans and Military Resource Center I was able to transfer to the University of Nebraska- Kearney (UNK). I don’t think I would have decided to attend UNK if I hadn’t decided to attend CCC first. I am very thankful for Amy Hill and Carol Boyle at the Lexington Center who helped me with everything during my time at CCC. I was in their offices often to talk about classes and my decision to transfer. It does not matter where you start. We all have to start somewhere as long as you accomplish goals. (Juan currently serves as a diversity and outreach counselor at UNK.) 

Andrew Eggerling 

I completed the truck driving program with a 4.0 grade point average at Central Community College in November 2020. I have a Class A commercial driver’s license with a tanker trailer endorsement and no restrictions. I went through driver’s work training for the first four weeks at (Eagle Distributing) in Grand Island, and I have been driving on my own for the last four weeks now. There is a severe shortage of CDL driver’s everywhere which makes this a skill that is in very high demand right now. This means there is a huge opportunity to make lots of money out here in the transportation industry. My advice to you is don’t wait. Take advantage of this learning opportunity while you still can. 

Crystal Mackling 

I had received a scholarship from CCC and chose to start my college education there to cut down on my expenses. I grew up in Columbus and was able to stay at home and save up while completing my general courses. During my time at CCC, I was able to explore several classes and find my passion. When I transferred to the University of Nebraska- Lincoln as a junior, I felt confident in the career path I’d chosen, and was able to graduate with less college debt than many of my friends. My career is a creative director for a national sales and advertising agency, and I work remotely from my acreage in Ponca. I get to help small businesses uncover the power of digital marketing and help them grow their business. I also get to coach designers and writers in creating their best work. 

Dr. Bart Eastwood 

I was responsible for paying for my own education. Cost is important as well as quality. CCC provided both. I had professors that took an interest in both my current educational needs and future aspirations. Your opportunity at CCC is tremendous. It really can take you anywhere if you take it seriously. A real employable career is waiting for you after CCC whether it be a technical one or one post transfer. It took me from CCC, to Nebraska Wesleyan University, medical school, orthopedic training, to surgeon. Take CCC seriously and it will take you places. 

Professor Fred Wigington 

I was brought to CCC by its reputation of success for the students. After completing my education at CCC, I went on to gather my bachelors and master’s degrees. Due to my success at CCC, I have gone on to teach over 235 college and university courses. My advice is to study hard, be dedicated and focused, but enjoy your college life. All the instructors were so helpful and wanted me to succeed. One of the best memories of my time at CCC was that I was voted as Phi Theta Kappa officer at the regional convention in Denver, which was an experience to learn about leadership. This helped me become more involved in community leadership also. 

Holly Wilcox 

I am currently a senior at Blue Hill High School. Upon graduation, I will also be a Central Community College alum with 51 college credits under my belt. In fall 2021, I will be starting my freshman year at Bryan College of Health Sciences in Lincoln. I will be a student in the biomedical sciences program. I am proud that throughout high school I have maintained a 3.9 GPA while still having course loads that challenge me and prepare me for my future. I have opted to take difficult classes in high school such as calculus, physics, chemistry (dual credit), statistics (dual credit), and four years of Spanish. 

I have known since I was a freshman in high school that I want to become a neurosurgeon. After intense research, I concluded that it would take me roughly 16 years to officially become a neurosurgeon. So, I decided that it is possible to shave a couple years off of that time frame by taking general education college courses online through CCC while also being a full-time high school student. In addition, I completed over 116 hours of face-to-face training last year to complete the certified nursing assistant (CNA) program and the certified medication aide program. Completion of both trainings allowed me to gain certifications with the State of Nebraska. These certifications allow me to work at a nursing home and an assisted living facility gaining invaluable work experience. I am currently enrolled in a phlebotomy training through Bryan College of Health Sciences which will give me an additional credential and allow me to practice phlebotomy at any hospital in Nebraska. 

I can proudly say that (I graduated) high school with two years of college already completed through CCC. The ability to take college credit in high school and transfer the credits from CCC to Bryan College will leave me with only fourteen years left on my career path. CCC has played a great factor in where I am today, where I am going and how quickly I will get there.