After decades of addiction, student draws inspiration from STCC
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – This spring, Kimberly Quinonez will reach a goal she once thought was impossible: She will have a college degree.
When she first came to Springfield Technical Community College in 2014, Quinonez was 43 years old and had recently spent a year in a substance abuse recovery program. She had battled decades of addiction. She didn’t have a high school diploma. But she was determined to get an education. She found the support she needed at STCC.
Quinonez enrolled in Springfield Adult Learning Center’s Adult Basic Education program at STCC to pursue a HiSET certificate, which is a high school equivalency credential. For Quinonez, it was the first step in her quest to receive an education.
Kimberly Quinonez
Now a 50-year-old student in the Honors Program at STCC and vice president of the Student Government Association, Quinonez is on the cusp of receiving a two-year associate degree in human services/social work. She plans to continue her education in the bachelor degree completion program at Elms College, which allows her to study at STCC.
“When I came to STCC, everyone at the college made me feel like I made the right choice,” Quinonez said. “STCC is my family. STCC has caused me to dig deeper and pursue my heartfelt goals.”
Professor John Diffley, who is the coordinator of the Honors Program at STCC, said Quinonez has overcome past struggles to become an excellent student.
“Kimberly is a non-traditional student who is proving that it’s never too late to get your education,” Diffley said. “Focused and determined to succeed as a student, Kimberly has persevered and worked hard to get where she is today. She doesn’t let past hardships slow her down.”
While a student at STCC, she was hired to work for the Hampden County Sheriff’s Department. She works as an addiction specialist, and was recently promoted to program care coordinator.
All the classes I have taken at STCC have built my character. They have given me a different perspective toward education.Kimberly Quinonez, STCC student
“We are proud of the work Kimberly is doing here at our Stonybrook Stabilization and Treatment Center. I strongly believe in second chances and Kimberly is a great example of someone who has gone through very challenging times in her own life and is working hard to improve herself,” Sheriff Nick Cocchi said.
STCC has been a transformative experience for Quinonez, who is candid about her past. She hopes her story encourages others who are struggling. “I got connected with very bad people, people that made bad choices, and I got connected with drug use and homelessness,” Quinonez said. “Drugs were an escape, a way out. I didn’t have to remember the bad stuff that happened to me as a child.”
Quinonez was born in Greensboro, N.C., but drifted from state to state over the years. While in South Carolina, Quinonez entered a rehabilitation program. She stayed in the program for a year and remained sober.
“I had never been clean past a month, so to be sober for a year was very huge for me,” Quinonez said.
While in the program, she started taking classes to work toward her high school equivalency diploma. She also met a man who is now her husband. However, the program’s funding ended and she never received the GED in South Carolina.
Quinonez’s sister-in-law encouraged her to move to Springfield, Mass., where she would help her get back on her feet. She called the move the best decision she made in her 50 years of living. She began working at McDonald’s, the first job she ever held.
Quinonez still dreamed about getting her education. Her sister-in-law encouraged her to try out STCC. She was immediately struck by the passion and commitment of the STCC community.
“All the classes I have taken at STCC have built my character. They have given me a different perspective toward education,” she said. “It took me five years to get my HiSET. There were times I wanted to quit. But the amazing staff members never let me quit. They always inspired me. They always checked up on me. … They knew when I needed that extra compassion, or that extra hug, or smile. Those things just motivated me to want to continue my education at Springfield Technical Community College.”
Interested in applying to STCC? Visit stcc.edu/apply or call Admissions at (413) 755-3333.
About Springfield Technical Community College
STCC, the Commonwealth's only technical community college, continues the pioneering legacy of the Springfield Armory with comprehensive and technical education in manufacturing, STEM, healthcare, business, social services, and the liberal arts. STCC's highly regarded workforce, certificate, degree, and transfer programs are the most affordable in Springfield and provide unequalled opportunity for the vitality of Western Massachusetts. Founded in 1967, the college – a designated Hispanic Serving Institution – seeks to close achievement gaps among students who traditionally face societal barriers. STCC supports students as they transform their lives through intellectual, cultural, and economic engagement while becoming thoughtful, committed and socially responsible graduates.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Jim Danko, (413) 755-4812, jdanko@stcc.edu