Zenaida Aguirre

1.

I originally went to school to become a nurse—I completed my prerequisites and got accepted into the nursing program, but I failed out during my first year due to strenuous circumstances.

2.

I decided to try law enforcement instead and earned my associate degree in criminal justice from San Jacinto College.

3.

I was working at Starbucks and struggling to find a job in criminal justice, so I decided to go back to school through the Starbucks tuition reimbursement program.

4.

I was pursuing a degree in technological entrepreneurship and management but struggled with the workload and ended up dropping out.

5.

I decided to try to get into the tech industry without a degree—I’m currently learning how to code so that I’ll have a better point of entry.

6.

While learning to code and get into tech, I’m working as a cook at an Australian cuisine restaurant.