Polk State makes it possible for migrant worker, bartender & single mom to become full-time student in pursuit of career

Mariza Mojica has come a long way from her upbringing as a child migrant worker and her job as a bartender. The single mother of four is now a full-time student at Polk State College, where she is working on a Bachelor of Applied Science in Supervision and Management with a concentration in Business Administration after receiving her Associate in Arts degree.

“It’s never too late to go back to school,” said Mojica, who is the first generation in her family to attend college. “Polk State is here to help you, from financial aid to tutoring – if you look for that help, you will find it here.”

She spent most of her childhood moving around the country to pick fruit in the fields with her family.

“I’ve always wanted to get a better job and show my kids and family that it’s never too late – I just wasn’t sure how to do it until I learned about the opportunities at Polk State.”

“I didn’t like it because we moved from school to school and didn’t know people,” she reflected. “We would work after school. Our vacation was working. We also suffered in terms of housing. Sometimes there would be seven of us living in one room.”

While she overcame those challenges to successfully complete the credit requirements for a high school diploma, she couldn’t graduate because she didn’t pass the state assessment test, she said. Fifteen years later, she decided to go back to school and get her GED.

It was a connection she made at a local facility that provides assistance for migrant working families – Jesus Jaime, a Student Success Advisor at Polk State – who encouraged Mojica to pursue higher education.

“He pushed me and told me about the financial help I could receive as a single mom,” she said. “I’ve always wanted to get a better job and show my kids and family that it’s never too late – I just wasn’t sure how to do it until I learned about the opportunities at Polk State.”

Tuition at Polk State is nearly half the cost of that at universities. Approximately 43% of students receive need-based federal Pell grant funding.

Mojica’s sister also graduated from Polk State’s Radiography Program, giving her a firsthand look at the quality of academics and services available at the College.

“I remember watching my sister graduate and telling my dad ‘That’s going to be me one day,’” Mojica said. “Now, here I am.”

“Even if you have obstacles, like having kids young and being a single mom like me, Polk State is here to help make your education possible.”

She received her Associate in Arts degree in 2022 and is pursuing her baccalaureate degree at Polk State. She says she wants to “get my feet in an office,” so she is studying supervision and management to build her foundational knowledge. Through her studies, Mojica has gained an interest in human resources because she feels called to help people as others have helped her along her journey.

“Whether it’s helping people get hired or helping my kids by showing them the importance of education, I just want to help others,” she said. That includes people who read Mojica’s story. “Even if you have obstacles, like having kids young and being a single mom like me, Polk State is here to help make your education possible.”