Mother-daughter duo graduates together
After more than twenty years at Daikin Applied Americas, Army veteran Rachel Sicheri decided she wanted to earn a degree to help advance her career. She turned to BRCC and chose to pursue a management degree because it aligned closely to her professional goals. "I was also drawn to the program because it included Supervision Certificates, which provided additional value and professional development opportunities," she explained.
Despite her focus on management, her English course with instructor Johnson was one of her favorite classes. "He was the most helpful and supportive teacher I have ever met. His willingness to go above and beyond for his students, while still maintaining high standards and refusing to accept mediocrity, made a lasting impact on me," Rachel said.
Rachel finished up her Associate of Applied Science degree in management this past spring and also achieved summa cum laude recognition for graduating with a 3.8 or higher grade point average. She recently accepted a role for corporate indirect supply chain with Daikin.
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Rachel was not the only BRCC graduate in the family at the commencement ceremony in May. Her daughter, Rory Pecor, also finished an Associate of Applied Science degree in criminal justice. "Graduating with my daughter was an experience I will never forget. It was emotional, rewarding, and something that made me incredibly proud. Being able to reach this milestone together made the accomplishment even more meaningful, and sharing that moment side by side is something I will always cherish," she shared.
Rory had worked at Red Lobster after graduating from high school and said she chose Blue Ridge because it is local and affordable. Specifically, she decided on the criminal justice program because of her interest in forensics. The student support services at BRCC were also helpful to Rory in her pursuit of a degree.
"As someone with learning disabilities, I truly appreciated that Blue Ridge still provided resources and options to help students succeed. Nicole Stephens worked incredibly hard to support me and offered as much assistance as possible, and I do not think I would have excelled the way I did without her guidance," she said.
In addition to earning her degree in criminal justice, Rory completed career studies certificates in Criminal Justice Foundations and Criminal Justice Advanced.
Rory said graduating with her mom was, "Really amazing, but honestly kind of weird in a way too, and also really rewarding." Reflecting on her college experience Rory said, "I am really proud that I was able to balance work, karate, and my classes and still keep it all going. It means a lot to me that I was able to graduate by paying for my own college through hard work and sticking with it."
