“Just go for it. There will be challenges, but at Monroe, you can achieve your goals.”
After hearing a close friend rave about Monroe University, Yomayra Payano decided to see what all the excitement was about. Before coming to Monroe, she worked as a paraprofessional at a middle school in the Bronx. Choosing a major was easy—she had already found her passion; she just needed the degree to match it.
While attending Monroe, Payano worked full time in education. Balancing work and school wasn’t easy. Many nights, she stayed up until 3 a.m. completing assignments and planning lessons. Despite the challenges, Payano remained committed to earning her degree.
Monroe’s flexible online classes and supportive professors played an important role in helping her succeed. Her coursework also gave her skills she could immediately apply in the classroom, from understanding and validating students’ emotions to communicating effectively with parents, colleagues, and school leadership.
This coming school year, Payano will take the next step in her career as a sixth-grade science teacher at the same school where she began as a paraprofessional.
“Just go for it. Don’t think about it,” Payano said. “There are going to be challenges at the beginning, but once you’re at Monroe, you’re going to be able to complete it and achieve it.”
