When 2026 opens in a new windowSalt Lake Community College graduate Angelique Wallace walked across the stage this spring, she wasn’t just accepting an associate degree in social and behavioral science — she was completing a journey her mother once began but never had the chance to finish.
Wallace’s mother, Rose Chavez, had become pregnant with Angelique at 16 and was on a path where even graduating from high school seemed unlikely. She got a job and enrolled at SLCC, bringing her toddler along to the Taylorsville Campus. Ultimately, it became too much to juggle.
But watching Wallace walk up to accept her diploma also made her feel like she too had accomplished something big.
Wallace’s road to graduation wasn’t linear. While in high school, she earned her CNA certificate through SLCC and ultimately planned on becoming a nurse. She started at Southern Utah University, switched to elementary education, and then stepped away from college for 10 years.
During that decade, she worked as a CNA, taught preschool, and ran her own cleaning business. But the desire to return to school never left.
A friend encouraged her to just start with her general education classes and see what sparked an interest.
A sociology course was that spark.
While returning to college as an older student was intimidating at first, she quickly felt like she belonged in classes and on campus.
“I really liked all the guidance that was available,” Wallace says. “I never felt out of place because it’s so diverse — different ages, different backgrounds. And honestly, the resources and access to flexible class schedules and online courses helped me stay in school.”
Angelique relied on FAFSA to help pay for school and then worked as many hours as she could to cover bills while staying enrolled. It took three years to earn her associate degree. This fall, she will attend the University of Utah to earn a bachelor’s degree in social work.
Her goal is to work with Child Protective Services after earning her bachelor’s degree.
Meanwhile, her mother is considering going back to school to earn her associate degree and finish what she started so many years ago. “My kids have inspired me.”
Read the full story here: opens in a new windowhttps://www.slcc.edu/newsroom/2026/07/first-gen-graduate-finishes-the-college-journey-her-mother-began.html