Charlotte Student Sarah Herrera Took Chances And Did The Hard Thing
Sarah Herrera’s family didn’t have the resources to help her go to college. Both her parents struggled with mental health issues and addiction. And Herrera herself has had to deal with anxiety and depression.
However, an unwavering spirit and the support she ultimately found as a transfer student at UNC Charlotte have propelled her toward her goal of becoming a school social worker.
For Herrera, 30, the first person in her family to attend college, the path to higher education hasn’t always been smooth. She studied at East Tennessee State University for three years with the intention of becoming a physician assistant. After realizing that wasn’t the right career choice for her, she headed to nursing school at Milligan College, a private school in Tennessee. Challenged by test taking, she left the program after two and a half years due to poor grades.
She found employment at a retirement home and became a certified nursing assistant, eventually working as a CNA at a hospital. Realizing she was becoming burned out, she took online classes at Walters State Community College and graduated with an associate degree three weeks after getting married. Shortly before graduating, she learned that to become a school social worker, she would need a bachelor’s degree.
With a move to Charlotte for her husband’s new job, Herrera discovered UNC Charlotte. Needing to live in North Carolina for a year to qualify for state tuition, she worked as an Uber and Lyft driver and a DoorDash delivery person, then got a job as a Gaston County community social services assistant.
In summer 2022, Herrera started classes at Charlotte and anticipates graduating in May 2024 with a bachelor’s degree in social work. She has been taking classes year round. “I’ve worked hard to make sure I stay on track,” she said.
School and working night shifts at an Amazon warehouse leave Herrera with little time for extracurriculars. UNC Charlotte’s supportive community has been instrumental in helping Herrera navigate a hectic schedule.
“The social work professors are fantastic,” Herrera said. “They go out of their way to make sure students understand assignments and offer support and advice on matters beyond school.” Many reached out to her with kindness when her father died.
“They’re social workers, not just educators,” she continued. “To be in social work, you have to have a certain mindset. They see a student not just as a student but realize there is life outside school.”