For Tencie Walker, graduation was a mixture of emotions.
She was happy because her family were among the 10,000 people attending American Career College’s Winter 2016 Commencement at Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario. But she was also excited because she was already working after earning her medical billing and coding certificate from ACC-Lynwood.
“Graduating means a whole lot to me," Walker said, smiling in her cap and gown outside the arena. "I feel like I got a lot accomplished and I’m just looking forward to the future and all that it holds.”
Walker was hired two weeks after her externship and said she enjoys working as an insurance claims processor for an audiologist. Walker encouraged people to never second-guess themselves when it came to education.
“It's the best decision you could ever make,” she said.
During commencement, Walker was in a video montage of ACC grads thanking those who helped them along the way. In her clip, Walker said she appreciated her family, teachers and “everyone who supported me on this journey.” After the event, Walker said she hoped her son will follow in her footsteps.
“Everything I did was for him and I’m just trying to lead by example,” she said. “I just want him to graduate from high school and go to college and take it as far as he can go.”
