Earning a Bachelors Degree in Business Administration from Cal State is the education goal of Lucy Ruelas. Her business goal is to expand her business, Trinity Bookkeeping Services. Ultimately, she wants to establish a children's non-profit learning center. Inspired by her father to pursue higher education no matter what her age, Lucy worked in the fields with her parents before becoming a dispatcher for 18 years. At the age of 30, she embarked on her quest for a different life. She earned her AA in accounting from College of the Desert in 2007. Education is the top priority from Lucy and her husband.

What does it mean to you to be awarded a GoGirl Grant?

Being awarded a GoGirl Grant to me means that there are other women who also believe that I will accomplish my educational goals. There is no greater reward than to know that I have my own cheerleading team faithful to see me cross that finish line. It also means that financially I will be able to purchase and make use of additional resources like study guides and workbooks that parallel to class text books to help me study more efficiently and effectively. This GoGirl Grant award will by no means go unnoticed. This time I believe I speak for many of us who have received this blessing; that it is like a ripple in a pond or better yet, like a ripple in the ocean, if you will. It will touch more lives than we will ever know. As many of us will succeed, we will in turn give back to our society and to our community, state and or America and possibly the World. We just don't know how far the GoGirl Grant ripple will extend. Humbly, I will say that the GoGirl Grant can simply very well be helping to change the face of America toward a better future.

Describe your motivation and inspiration for continuing your education and career goals at this stage in your life.

My motivation and inspiration to continue my education and career goals at this stage in my life are immeasurable. Since my return to school in 1997 at age 31, with a 4th grade level education in all academic curriculums, I have held steadfast through sunshine, rain and storms as I consider myself a self motivating person, to see my educational and career goals as a business major accomplish. Twelve years later, having earned a high school diploma and an Associate Degree, that determination, drive and tenacity to continue my education and career goals has grown stronger with time. More importantly, I am enjoying my journey in my educational process. The pursuit of happiness does not come at the end of ones journey, but it is to be experienced with entire faith through life's journey.

What advice would you offer other women who are considering going back to school to make a career change?

The advice I offer women who are considering going back to school to make a career change is that it is never to late to pursue your dreams and that in doing so, the sky is the limit. I am a great believer that we all have skills beyond our own imagination that are yet still to be explored, discovered, and conquered. When we realize this fact, we can begin to live our purpose for which we were created. It will be like a journey of adventure to explore our own potential. Remember, our greatest challenger is not our neighbor but ourselves. We alone choose to become our greatest friend or our worst enemy. Therefore, our own decisions in life can either make us a victor or a victim. This is the advice I would offer women going back to school for whatever reason.