Gateway helped her graduate and she in turn helped her community

Shortly after graduating high school, she married and had a child shortly after. Currently, Betsabe’s “super busy” mum life has replaced student life.

That could all change, though, if her kids grow up and her family starts a business and buys another. Betsabe’s educational goals ended up not only having a positive impact on her.

Betsabe’s family started a construction business and needed someone to keep the books. That became her responsibility.

“My training at Gateway has helped our business,” says Betsabe. “We had paperwork that needed to be done, but we wanted to do it in-house. We didn’t want to hire an outside company to do it. I did have some basic knowledge, but the Gateway degree really helped me run the business.”

In addition, Gateway has trained her in tax preparation, a job she does from January to April while her kids are in school, allowing her to spend summers at home with them. Eventually, the owner of the business where she worked as a tax preparer wanted to retire and approached Betsabe to buy the business.

“We think it’s a great opportunity, a great business move,” Betsabe said.

A Gateway education helped her take over the business with confidence and develop plans for expansion. “Getting a degree didn’t just help my business. It also helped me expand.”

Betsabe said the acquisition of the tax preparation business also had a dual effect.

“My profession serves my community” are the words of Betsabe’s spiritual leader, which inspires her and encourages her to earn her degree and help the community.

“Most of my clients are Hispanic and many of them didn’t know where to start when starting their own business. My Gateway degree has helped me help them – a flooring company, a landscaping company, a hairdresser stores, food trucks — and several others. I was able to help them, and because of Gateway, I was able to do that.”

Betsabe said the teachers know the industry and are willing to help with her education in any way possible. Those are two reasons she loves Gateway.

“They were always willing to help and listen and were very empathetic,” Betsabe said. “When you have kids sometimes things come up that are out of your control and the teachers are willing to work with you.

“My children are my priority. Gateway has allowed me to take care of my children and take as many classes as possible so I can earn my degree, although it will take a little longer than I initially thought.”