When Sydney Miele entered the Paralegal program at UCC, she didn’t know which direction she wanted to take. “Going into the program, I wasn’t completely set on what I wanted to do exactly in the legal field. I was leaning toward being a paralegal or maybe even like a law clerk… maybe doing a couple years of law school.”

Her advisor put her in contact with a law office looking for an assistant. “I think that’s a benefit of going to UCC. The advisors and staff can create opportunities for you that may not be available if you went to a larger school. They took a chance on me, and I can attest that I benefited from that advisor seeing the potential in me and helping me to accomplish my dream.”

After starting work as a legal assistant, Sydney decided to take a break from school to focus on her new role. When she returned to UCC, it was the online program that helped her finish her coursework. “I decided that having a degree would help me in the job market and be a building block for my career. I was working full-time and going to school full-time, so having that online program was my saving grace. I wouldn’t have been able to do that if I had to attend class in person.”

Sydney graduated from UCC in 2020 with her Associate of Applied Arts in Paralegal Studies. She currently lives in Dallas, where she works in a law firm. She proudly displays her degree on her desk as a reminder. “I feel like I worked so hard for this, and I want everyone to see! I wouldn’t be here without it.”