Morgan Martin’s journey to higher education isn’t a straight path. It’s one filled with detours, self-discovery, and resilience.
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Morgan Martin Balances Family and Higher Education
April 21, 2025
As a first-generation, non-traditional student and mother of two, she has navigated the challenges of multitasking school, work, and family while carving out a future she’s proud of. “There was a big change from going from ‘I want to do this for my kids’ to wanting to do it for myself,” Morgan said. “And that really pushed me and has driven me the last couple of years.”
Now, as she nears graduation from Aims Community College with a liberal arts degree, she reflects on her time at Aims. It is an experience that shaped her personally and professionally. Morgan hopes to inspire others to take the leap into higher education, no matter where they are in life.
Returning to School
Morgan initially enrolled at Aims to pursue a radiology degree. She was drawn by its closeness to her home and the strength of its healthcare programs. Having worked in healthcare for nearly a decade, she believed this was the natural next step in her career. As Morgan progressed through her prerequisites, she realized that healthcare wasn’t where she wanted to be.
“I didn’t have a backup plan when I first started,” Morgan admitted. “But meeting with advisors and peers and seeing what Aims had to offer beyond radiology helped me decide what I wanted to do.”
With the guidance of her advisors, Morgan transitioned to a liberal arts degree to maximize her transfer credits. Morgan gravitated toward her business classes and is going to study human resource management. She believes that this path is a way that she can contribute once she completes her education.
“I love helping people. I feel like this path truly aligns with my passion for helping others and creating positive environments.”
A key element of her educational journey is juggling school and parenthood. Morgan believes Aims provides options that allow her to navigate her classes and responsibilities at home. “There’s a lot of flexibility — you can take evening classes, asynchronous online classes, Zoom meetings — to build a schedule that works around your family.”
Morgan credits her family for helping her succeed. Her husband stepped in to take on extra responsibilities at home. “It’s temporary discomfort for a lifetime of more opportunities,” she said, acknowledging her sacrifices to reach this point. “Being a parent and a full-time student has been pretty amazing, but the biggest challenge is devoting time to each of my roles,” she said.
Morgan advises that leaning into that family support will help you know that everything is going to work out. “You can do hard things. You can make it through and can come out on the other side on top.”
Finding and Providing Support
In addition to the encouragement of her family at home, she’s also found a caring community at Aims. As a first-generation student, Morgan didn’t have a roadmap for navigating college. At first, she was reluctant to ask for help, but when she heard about the TRIO Student Support Services program, she decided to apply.
“The first time around in school, I didn’t want any extra help. I thought, ‘I can do this on my own,’” Morgan said. “But coming back, I realized I need help. I need direction. I need more one-on-one support.” TRIO provided that support, helping her navigate the ins and outs of higher education while connecting her with advisors and peers who understood her challenges.
The experience came full circle when Morgan became a TRIO peer mentor and work-study student, helping other students who, like her, were figuring out college for the first time. “Being a peer mentor in TRIO has given me more confidence,” she said. “You learn from other people as much as they learn from you. And that’s been cool.”
Her time in TRIO ultimately led to another unexpected opportunity — she was recently hired as a TRIO part-time Staff Associate, opening a new door into the world of higher education. “Since starting here working at Aims as a student employee and now a staff employee, the side of higher education is really exciting to me.”
Bernadette Cordova, the Director of the Aims TRIO program, is impressed by Morgan’s progress at her time at Aims. “Watching Morgan grow from a dedicated TRIO student into a confident and capable Staff Associate has been one of the most rewarding parts of my work. Her commitment, compassion, and leadership inspire both students and staff every day.”
Morgan has also grown as a participant in the Aims2UNC program. Aims2UNC is a program that streamlines the transition from Aims to the University of Northern Colorado for students pursuing a bachelor’s degree. “Aims2UNC has definitely been beneficial in helping me transition outside of Aims in a couple of months,” she said.
It helped ease the anxiety of moving from a smaller campus to a larger university. Morgan attended a guided visit to UNC, where students got hands-on support and a preview of life on the new campus. “They take you to get your student ID, show you around, show you the ins and outs of things at UNC, the resources you can utilize there, and the resources, like here at Aims, that are similar to those at UNC.”
It helped her feel more confident and better prepared for the next step in her educational journey. She acknowledged how intimidating it can be to step into a larger, unfamiliar setting — but the Aims-to-UNC bridge made it feel possible.
“It’s scary going from a smaller campus to a much larger campus, and Aims2UNC sets you up to succeed.”
She has also found a strong foundation and support at Aims in other corners of the college. “No matter where you go on campus, someone is there to help you if you need something.”
Looking to the Future
Morgan will graduate from Aims in May and transfer to the University of Northern Colorado to pursue a Business Administration degree with a Concentration in Human Resource Management. As she prepares to walk across the graduation stage, Morgan is grateful for the opportunities, support received, and the example she’s setting for her children.
Going to college was never just about earning a degree. “I think it's cool that my kids get to see mom going to school and studying just like they are and putting in that hard work,” she said. “It’s exciting to see how we all go through the same things at different times in life.”
While leaving Aims will be bittersweet, she’s excited for what’s ahead. “I’m most excited to see how my abilities grow in the future — just continuing to learn, whether in a classroom, a position, or out in the community,” she said.
