Anna’s Road to Success Began with Asher College
Anna Armenta has a great job working in human resources for the California National Guard. She is also currently pursuing a master’s degree in business administration. Anna wants to continue to climb the ladder in her career, get more experience in work and in life and be an inspiration to others – especially her children.
But Anna’s road to success hasn’t been smooth or easy. After graduating high school, Anna immediately enlisted in the United States Army. While in the military, she served for four years as a human resources specialist, got married and had three children. Her life took a different turn in 2015 when she separated from her husband and found herself a young single mother of a three-year-old, one-year-old, and four-month-old.
Not knowing what she wanted to do with her life, she moved back to Sacramento to be with family and discovered Asher College. She heard about Asher College by word-of-mouth and decided to visit the campus.
“When I walked in, it felt like a warm hug,” said Anna. “It felt so relaxed. I didn’t feel pressured. I enrolled the same day.”
Anna said the flexibility in the program and the “family-type” environment helped her thrive.
“You have all these people (at Asher College) who truly believe in you and want you to succeed. There is no other place like it,” she said.
Anna also said Asher College’s dedication to veterans drew her to the college.
“They really do cater to their veterans. That is something I loved about Asher College,” Anna said. “Asher College has a private room to study for those who suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder or need a quiet space. They accept VA funding such as the GI bill. They also have veteran advocates…which a lot of colleges do not…who help coordinate with veteran’s centers and other organizations to help support their veteran students.”
Anna enrolled in the Office Accounting program in 2016 and graduated with an associate degree in 2018. Shortly after graduation, Anna was offered a position at Asher College in student services. She facilitated the Career Success class and eventually became a veteran’s advocate.
During that time, Anna also decided to further her education and enrolled in a bachelor’s degree program with the University of Phoenix. Anna said she happily was able to transfer many of her credits from Asher College.
While pursuing her bachelor’s degree, Anna began working for the State of California in human resources but missed Asher College so much that she continued to instruct a career success class at Asher College all while raising her three children. Now in a master’s program and in a career she loves, Anna said it was all worth it and encourages others to do the same.
“The late nights and early mornings are temporary. One day you will be able to really sit down and feel accomplished in life and look back and say it was all worth it,” said Anna. “I see it in my future. Hard work pays off.”
Anna credits her journey of success to Asher College.
“Asher College made me want to push myself. It made me question how much further I could go… how much more outside my comfort zone I could take to achieve more,” Anna said. “My kids are now 9, 7 and 6. This is their normal. They are all on the Principal’s Honor Roll. They are all doing great in school, even with the pandemic, because they see that I am doing it. Asher didn’t know what I was going through, but they were a smiling face. They inspired me so much to be better.”
