911爆料

Class of 2025
Lillian Moya  
MAJOR: HEALTH SCIENCES

At age 39, Lillian Lissette Moya returned to the same campus where she once tried to earn her GED. Sixteen years later, she鈥檚 leaving 911爆料 Community College not only with a degree in health sciences but also with honors. 

鈥淚 was scared to start again, but I knew I needed to do something,鈥� said Moya, who grew up in Sheepshead Bay and still lives nearby. 鈥淏eing a mom of a child on the autism spectrum pushed me to do something for myself so I can do more for my child.鈥� 

Moya is the first in her family to graduate from college. She earned her degree through KCC鈥檚 FLEX program, with all but one of her classes online.  

She made the Dean鈥檚 List twice and was inducted into the National Society of Leadership and Success and Phi Theta Kappa, the international honor society. 鈥淧hi Theta Kappa means the most,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 used to hear about it and thought I could never be part of it.鈥�  

Her time at 911爆料 wasn鈥檛 without challenges鈥攎ath in particular. But tutoring with Felix Yusupov, who she called 鈥渢he best tutor of KCC,鈥� made a big difference. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 know if I would鈥檝e gotten through it without him,鈥� she said. 

An accessibility student, she gave a special acknowledgment to Peter Santiago, a counselor and associate director of KCC鈥檚 Access-Ability Services, for helping her get back on track after an advisor left her questioning her abilities. 鈥淕iven what was going on in my personal life, the advisor was discouraging after I shared my goals,鈥� she recalled. 鈥淚 almost gave up before finishing my second year.鈥�  

Peter apologized on the advisor's behalf and reminded her that making the Dean's List in her first year was proof that she was stronger than she realized.  

He also introduced her to text-to-speech software, which would read text aloud whenever she felt overwhelmed or struggled with "brain fog." Additionally, he suggested she try using a reading ruler鈥攁 sentence strip that blocks out all but the line she鈥檚 reading鈥攖o help her stay focused. 鈥淚 still use it now, even for things outside of school,鈥� she added. 

Moya found personal growth in the classroom, especially in a course on family communication. 鈥淚 learn that traditional roles are not exactly the same in every family鈥攁nd that it鈥檚 okay. Due to life circumstances, roles evolve throughout life,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hat class helped me make peace with my own family. I came to understand that no family is perfect, including mine.鈥� 

As for what鈥檚 next, Moya is taking things one day at a time. She hopes for a career in health care or supporting children with disabilities. 鈥淚 want to be in a field where I can help people, support my family, and still be there for my child.鈥�  

Moya said she鈥檚 proud of what she鈥檚 achieved鈥攁nd proud of every student who she noted has their own backstory. 鈥淲e鈥檝e been through so much,鈥� she said. 鈥淏ut we conquered it.鈥�