"CRC was a guiding path and a stepping stone in my accomplishments." Sarah Aboueljoud Alum

Cosumnes River College and Sacramento State graduate (cum laude) Sarah Aboueljoud will tell you something surprising. The Dominican University of California bound, future physician assistant says she cut class in high school, graduated without the know-how to study effectively, and walked away with the false assumption that she was bad at math.

Sarah remembers vividly the day she discovered the math lab at CRC. She says that was the day she learned college is not so much about getting the correct answer as it is learning how to solve problems. By the end of her first year, and with the help of caring professors who taught her how to be a good student through positive academic habits, Sarah actually was a good student.

At CRC, Sarah says classes felt more intimate because teachers knew her by name. She found them welcoming, accommodating, and willing to listen. They understood that life gets in the way sometimes, Sarah remembers, but the teachers had a passion for learning and giving their students the tools to thrive.

A tool to thrive that Sarah relied on was the campus itself. She loved spending time at the fountain and listening to the sounds of the flowing water, and her favorite building at CRC is the Winn Center. To relax, Sarah would walk the hallways, soak in the rays from the large windows and admire the art and photography on the walls.  Otherwise, Sarah spent her days hanging around her newfound home away from home, the anatomy lab in the science building. She credits the campus for supplying the learning environment she needed.

Sarah was amazed how easy Los Rios Community College District made it to get an A.S or A.A degree and open a world of career possibilities. With every class she took, she says she learned something about herself and new skills to apply to her personal life.

Sarah readily admits that going to CRC eased her transition to a four-year college and allowed her time to mature and figure out what she truly wanted. She is convinced that community college helped guide her by mapping out a career path toward the profession she loves.

Sarah is the first in her family to study for an advanced degree, and is proud to set a new standard for higher education within her family. What she’ll take to grad school is what she acquired at Cosumnes River College: the means to be successful.