As she walked through the campus, one program in particular caught her attention.

Yolanda stepped into the Mechatronics Technology lab at Dallas College’s RedBird Center and was immediately intrigued. What she saw sparked a curiosity she hadn’t expected, and before leaving campus that day, she made a decision that would change her future. “I walked right into the mechatronics program and was so intrigued that I literally signed up that same day,” Yolanda said.

Now a student in the program, Yolanda is discovering new strengths and building confidence in a field she never imagined for herself. Through hands-on learning and support from faculty, she’s developing both technical skills and a renewed sense of purpose.

“I discovered my patience. I discovered my new love for robots and mechatronics that I never knew I had before,” she said. “I discovered that the professors are amazing.”

Her journey is about more than a career change, it’s about redefining what’s possible.

At a time when she once questioned what opportunities were still available to her, Yolanda now sees a future filled with growth and potential.

“I thought at this stage in my life, I really had nowhere to go. I didn’t think anything was out there for me,” she said. “And here I am now…today. And I’m so excited about it.”

For Yolanda, Dallas College didn’t just offer a new path, it opened the door to a future she hadn’t yet imagined.