Obtaining a bachelor’s degree was a long-term goal for Kerstin Morell. In May 2019, she accomplished this goal by receiving her Bachelor of Arts in our Child Development: Early Development, Care and Education degree completion program. 

A family advocate professional for the Sacramento County Office of Education, Kerstin works with families in the community to assess development in children and refer vulnerable families to agencies that will provide health care, food access, and educational support.

Serving the Sacramento community means more to Kerstin than just evaluations. “It’s hard for these families to navigate the system,” says Kerstin. “You are not only helping this child, but building a relationship with their entire family.”

California has recently made changes towards requiring a bachelor’s degree for many jobs in the child development professional field. With this increasingly competitive system, Kerstin knew that getting her degree would be essential to her career path.

During her time in the program, Kerstin continued to work during the day while taking classes at night. The cohort-based learning system in the Child Development program provided a framework and support system for Kerstin. She and her peers were able to rely on each other when personal challenges arose during their coursework.

As a proud graduate, Kerstin is looking forward to continuing to serve as an advocate for families, and reaching more members of the Sacramento community.

“I have wanted this for a long time and I finally achieved it,” Kerstin says. “If you dream it, it is possible.”