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Renae GarmanBrown Mackie College – North CantonSurgical TechnologyrenaeAs a surgical technologist, Renae Garman prepares the operating room for surgery, sets up a sterile field, prepares surgical equipment,and helps the surgical team suit up with sterile gowns and gloves. The preparation needed to handle her job at Huron Hospital in EastCleveland, Ohio, began at Brown Mackie College – North Canton where she graduated in June 2009 with an Associate of AppliedScience degree in Surgical Technology.She drives a daily 25-minute commute from her home in Canton, Ohio. The former school bus driver is the single mother of Adam, 20;Andrew, 18; and 14-year-old daughter, Makenzie. She and her children live with her parents. Before going to college, Renae’s life wasall mapped out until she ran into a major detour. “After 14 years, my marriage fell apart, and I was left with nothing,” she said. “I hadto go back to school. I hope I have set a good example for my children, and they understand that you definitely need to make sure youset goals for yourself.”“I am very grateful to everyone at the school and my family for supporting and enabling me to have a new career at the age of 43,” saidRenae. “For four months, I had to go to college, without a job. I had the support of my classmates, instructors, my parents and siblings.My kids were also a great help. They knew more about the Internet than I did and even helped me type reports. I’m even on Facebook.”Renae had to quit her job as a bus driver while in college because she had to be available from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. for her externship atHuron Hospital. She was offered a job in the trauma unit right after graduation. “Accepting the job was a difficult thing to do because Idid not have the experience under my belt. However, Brown Mackie College – North Canton gave me the solid foundation to go in andwork at the hospital out of school,” she said.Renae’s fear of math could have kept her from reaching her goal, but a math refresher course at school got her off to the right start. “Itook a refresher math course that was absolutely wonderful,” she said. "The course taught me how to use a calculator. I was scared. I stillavoid math like the plague. At least math did not stop me from going back to school.” She also liked Brown Mackie College – NorthCanton’s approach where she could enroll in one course each month.“I have three kids, a full-time job and I’m a mom. Brown Mackie College – North Canton was the perfect fit for me.” ◄oscar"I'm the baby of the family and was the last one to leave home. Youcan imagine how hard it was for my mom to see me go. It wasn'teasy for me, either. About a month before I was supposed to start atthe Los Angeles Film School, my dad was laid off from the factorywhere he had worked for 10 years. My mom was going to look for asecond full-time job to pay the bills.Oscar VelasquezLos Angeles Film School"My oldest brother and sister thought I should put off film schooland work to help my parents. I was torn. I could not imagine mymom having to work 80 hours a week to make ends meet, so Ihad a heart-to-heart with my mom. Mom told me, 'Before I camefrom Mexico to California, your grandma got sick. I wanted to stayand take care of her, but she told me that I couldn't stay. She said,"Because if you don't leave now, life will take over, and you will neverleave." You have to go to film school,' she told me, 'because this isyour dream.'"It would be the hardest, but best decision I ever made. I graduatedfrom the Los Angeles Film School in March. My entire family cameto see my film at graduation. Mom sat next to me, holding my hand.She had tears coming down her face as the star of my film tells heron-screen mom how much she loves her. That same film, Prelude,was accepted to the Short Film Corner at the 61st Annual Festivalde Cannes." ◄ www.CareerCollegeCentral.com | 47