My Graduation from Turning Point!

This is a guest blog post from our former intern, Rachel Adams-Duffy.

My academic journey started in September 2020 of the covid-19 year at Bergen Community College in Paramus, New Jersey. The Turning Point Program is a two-year post-secondary program which focuses on academic, vocational, and social enrichment for students with intellectual disabilities. I took a variety of courses to enhance and broaden my horizons during my two years as a student within the Turning Point program. The elective classes I took part in included Success 101 - Strategies for Success, General Psychology 101, and Sociology 101.

When I first got accepted into Bergen Community College and the Turning Point program, I was extremely excited and shocked at the same time as I didn’t believe college was a possibility for me. However, with my determination and drive, I successfully completed my two years in the Turning Point program. On May 19, 2022, I graduated from Bergen Community College and the Turning Point program with a certification of achievement and credentials in electronic records management (AIIM+).

This past year, I had an internship with ThinkCollege in Boston, Massachusetts as the first virtual internship of my program’s kind. I learned and grew so much as a person through this program and I am beyond proud of that. Getting the chance and opportunity to experience a college graduation with my peers felt incredibly rewarding. I never believed in myself enough before I got accepted into the Turning Point program. Attending college was a big deal for me as not many individuals like myself have the opportunity to attend college and get the experience of what it is like to take regular college courses. Throughout the last two years of this college experience, I have worked hard towards my academic goals to become the best version of myself professionally and academically and for that reason, so many opportunities and doors have opened for me. I have worked tirelessly and hard throughout my educational experience at Bergen Community College because I have big dreams I want to accomplish in my future.

My educational journey is not over yet, as I plan to go back to school to obtain my associates degree in social work. Leaving the Turning Point program has brought me many feelings of uncertainty of what is to come going forward, but I am very proud of how hard I have worked to get myself where I am today. 

About the blog author: My name is Rachel Adams-Duffy and I am in my final year at Bergen Community College in the Turning Point Program. I attended a variety of academic classes during my experience at Bergen. I am overwhelmingly excited to graduate and enjoy my summer with my family and friends. I live with my mom, dad, two sisters, and brother. I hope to return to school and receive a bachelor’s and master's degree in Child Social Work.