Donna Otkins’ journey at College of DuPage started after she was out of school for almost 20 years.

“I put my educational goals aside to raise the three children of my older sister, who passed away,” she said. “When the youngest of the three graduated from high school and went off to college, I decided it was time to do something for myself.”

She enrolled at COD in the Office Technology Information (OFTI) program, having received a grant through the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act program with the DuPage County Workforce Development division. It was an opportunity to build on her previous work history in an office environment and gain additional knowledge.

“The time I’ve spent at COD gave me another chance at achieving my educational goals, something that I thought wasn’t possible for me anymore,” she said. “The program curriculum was based on a career within assisting people, and I think I’m very good at helping others. I really enjoyed the connections I made with the staff and my fellow students.”

Having earned the Administrative Support Specialist Associate in Applied Science degree and the Administrative Support Specialist certificate. Otkins is now completing a bachelor’s degree in health care administration at Aurora University. From there, she plans to continue at Western Governors University in its healthcare management master’s degree program.

She cannot say enough good things about the OFTI program.

“If you are on the fence about pursuing the OFTI program at COD, go for it!” she said. “You will obtain so much knowledge that you will most definitely use in your everyday life. Even with my own medical issues, I stayed the course to complete my studies and obtain my degree. This journey has been well worth it. What I thought would never happen has gone far beyond what I ever imagined.”

Learn more about the Office Technology Information program at College of DuPage