Mikayla Herndon always knew she wanted to be the first person in her family to earn a college degree.

But like many high school seniors, she struggled to decide which school was the right fit.

"I was at a crossroads," the Broughton High School graduate said. "My dad pushed me to attend a four-year university, while my mom encouraged me to go to Wake Tech so I could get experience in college and work at the same time. I had my doubts and thought that I may be limiting myself with a two-year degree."

Herndon attended Open House at Wake Tech to learn more about the college's programs. There, she stumbled upon the Eagle Start bridge program. Designed to help high school graduates transition to college, the six-week summer program offers guidance and support, especially for first-generation college students.

The program sounded promising, so she decided to give Wake Tech a shot and enroll. Three years later, she laughs at her hesitancy and says Wake Tech was right where she needed to be.

"Eagle Start opened my eyes to all the opportunities at Wake Tech and solidified my decision to study accounting," she said. "I also realized that I wasn't limiting myself, and I was proud to be pursuing a degree from a prestigious community college."

Herndon credits faculty, staff and fellow students she met at the college for igniting her passion and boosting her confidence to succeed.

"We all have skills and drive, but sometimes we need something or someone to push it out of us," she said. "Thanks to Wake Tech, I was able to embrace my leadership potential, learn how to network, utilize support resources, perfect my communication and advocate more for myself."

David Cooper, coordinator of the Eagle Start program, said he watched Herndon blossom into a confident student eager to learn and grow.

"Mikayla entered the program with optimism but uncertainty," Cooper said. "She was full of life and promise, but like many high school graduates, she lacked clarity about her future and where it would lead her. Her confidence grew tremendously over time, and by the end of the program, she was ready to spread the word about the benefits of Eagle Start and take on her future."

In her first year, she hit the ground running on her Accounting & Finance Associate in Applied Science degree and started the National Association of Black Accountants Inc. chapter at Wake Tech. She was also instrumental in launching the IRS-certified Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program. Now in its third season, the initiative offers free tax prep to qualifying Wake Tech students and employees.

As a student, Herndon also connected to the college's Care Center, utilizing wellness services that helped build her mental toughness. With a desire to help others, she helped develop workshops for her classmates that focused on the importance of self-care.

She earned her degree in December, and now she's sharpening her accounting skills as a tax and wealth advisory intern at Clifton Larson Allen in Raleigh. She wants to eventually get her bachelor's degree and hopes to one day run her own accounting firm. She also hopes to give back and share her knowledge with youth to build their confidence and understanding about financial literacy.

"I'm so grateful for Wake Tech," Herndon said. "It made me realize that I can and will achieve. The sky is the limit, and even then, it's limitless. Wake Tech has completely changed my life!"