Juliette’s sign says “Si se puede!” (“Yes you can!)

Juliette Palacios Perez is an ambitious leader and first-generation student who is the head of the Student Equity Council and a student advisor to TRIO Upward Bound. (At Central Piedmont, we offer TRIO-Student Support Services, a college retention and degree completion program centered on academic, personal, social, and career support for under-resourced college students). Juliette provides her Spanish-speaking skills to the Hispanic community through these organizations.

Juliette has always had a dream to pursue higher education. “I sought a place to make my dreams come true. After the initial failure and rejection, I learned that Central Piedmont would be the place that would catapult me in the right direction,” explains Juliette. “I chose Central Piedmont because of the resources they offer that have allowed me to be accepted into my dream school, UNC Chapel Hill.”

Perez comes from a single-parent household where her mother worked two jobs and always taught her to stand up for herself and others. Juliette’s mother always told her to “dream big Mija, education is the only thing that can’t be taken away from you.” As a result, Juliette decided to major in both Sociology and Political Science in order to gain knowledge of government systems and advocate on behalf of others. Juliette’s future degree from UNC Chapel Hill will help her pursue her dreams of becoming an attorney who fights for the rights of others. “My passion is to inspire, and through that, I will one day become an immigration attorney,” Juliette explains.

From being involved in student engagement, to having amazing advisors there for constant support, Central Piedmont has shown Juliette what a supportive community looks like. Juliette decided to start Conexion Latinx, the Latinx student club at Central Piedmont, after receiving so much support. “I wanted to create this club to help other first-generation Hispanic students feel safe, heard, and supported,” Juliette says.

Jules Omakinda is a hardworking student who dreams of becoming a pilot one day.

Jules is currently pursuing his associate degree in cyber security at Central Piedmont Community College. “Central Piedmont has a positive reputation and offers many opportunities that students can take advantage of,” says Jules. Jules enjoys feeling like he is a part of a community. As he explains it, “Central Piedmont is a place that truly feels like home, and I appreciate how the community works together to help me succeed in my career.”

Jules knew as early as he could remember that he would like to be a pilot someday. For him, Central Piedmont is the ideal place to begin his aviation goals. As a result of his cyber security associate degree, he plans to attend another institution to obtain his master’s degree in cyber security. His goal is to secure a high-paying job that will help him pay for aviation school.

One thing Jules would like anyone reading this to remember would be to, “keep your goals at the forefront of your mind and utilize all that Central Piedmont provides you to reach your next chapter in life.”

Kait Hruska, a Cleveland, Ohio, native, is currently studying interpreter education at Central Piedmont and anticipates graduating in May 2025.

As a Central Piedmont student, Kait is determined to connect with her peers and be as involved as she can be in campus life. That’s why she decided to participate in the Student Ambassador Program, which allows students to develop their leadership skills while making a positive impact on Central Piedmont and beyond.

“Becoming a Student Ambassador has been the best decision I’ve ever made,” explains Kait. “It has allowed me to meet so many of my peers and staff members. I value the relationships I’ve made each semester and look forward to learning more about others in the college community in the near future.”

In the interim, Kait’s looking forward to applying the leadership skills she’s building as an ambassador in her future professional career as an American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter.

“I have always been interested in ASL and I regretted not pursuing it more during my time as an undergrad,” says Kait. “Central Piedmont is the only school in Charlotte or the surrounding areas with an Interpreter Education program. As a result, the decision on which college to attend was an easy for me. I’ve also enjoyed its close proximity to my home. The commute to and from class is extremely convenient. Less time in the car is more time I can spend studying if needed.”

Although Kait is a bit unclear on how she intends to incorporate her ASL studies into her final career path, she is clear on how Central Piedmont has helped get where she is today. “Central Piedmont’s Single Stop program helped me financially my first semester at college,” she explains. “If it wasn’t for the resources they helped me identify, I wouldn’t have been able to attend and pursue my career aspirations in ASL. I’m just so grateful to the college and all of the support services it provides. Central Piedmont has been a game-changer.”