May 12th, 2009 – Nancy Presley was an unemployed single mom with a mortgage payment when she made a difficult but life-changing decision.She went to the state unemployment office for help.
"I told the lady 'I have no job, I have two kids and I don't have an education, but I want to go to college,'" said the 42-year-old Presley.
That's where Presley learned about opportunities through the Workforce Investment Act at Bishop State Community College and enrolled in the school's drafting and design technology program.
WIA provides assistance to eligible candidates, allowing them to attend school or get the training they need to qualify for jobs.
Two years after starting at Bishop State, Presley will be among the 329 students who will graduate during Tuesday's commencement.
In addition to her associate in applied science degree, she will take home the Green-Knight Technical Award of Excellence, the school's highest technical award presented to a graduate with a minimum cumulative 3.5 grade point average. She also made the Alabama Community College System All-Alabama Academic Team.
"I preach education and education to these two," Presley said as she sat next to her two children, "and for me not to have it wasn't right"
Michael Presley, 22, knows how difficult working and going to school was for his mom.
"She would go to work at 6 a.m., come home at 9 that night and still sit at the table and study for 2 hours," he said, adding that he can't wait to watch his mom graduate. "It will be one of the proudest moments in my life because I know how much she's wanted it and how long she's worked.
"She never thought she could do it," 14-year-old Lezah Presley said of her mom. "I'm really proud of her." After divorcing in 2000, Nancy Presley went looking for a job. She landed one in construction, but was eventually laid off.
Since enrolling at Bishop State, she's landed at Wilson-Dismukes, where she is service advisor/parts consultant. She plans to return to Bishop in the fall to study graphic communications technology.
"I just can't believe that I was able to do it," said Presley. "I don't know that it's all hit me yet."