Celebrate Student Achievement
The students at Summit Academy OIC overcome many challenges to achieve their personal and professional goals. This month, read about Robyn Berkley ‘23, who overcame a mother’s worst nightmare to enroll at Summit and restart her career and life surrounded by the supportive Summit community. Plus, find out who has joined the team as the new Vice President of Workforce Partnerships and much more!
From Heartbreak to Hope:
Robyn Berkley’s journey to success thanks to YOU
Robyn Berkley ‘23 got the phone call no mother wants to get: her son had died. Reeling in grief, she didn’t know what to do next. Her interest in pursuing a healthcare career suddenly felt too personal, too painful. She needed to provide for herself in another way.
Getting into a new career field was Robyn’s first step. A few of her family members had attended Summit in the past. She attended an information session to learn more. As a former nursing assistant, the Medical Administrative Assistant training seemed to fit her needs.
Summit’s supportive environment became a lifeline for Robyn throughout the five-month training. “The students held each other accountable,” she says. “We supported each other not just academically but personally.”
Through determination and the skills she gained at Summit, Robyn graduated and then secured what she calls her “unicorn job”—a role at DaVita Dialysis that she once thought out of reach. “Because of the skills I gained at Summit, I am an asset to my company,” Robyn says. “Coming to Summit was the most challenging, persevering, confidence-building experience of my life.”
Today, Robyn has job stability and is moving into her future with renewed confidence despite her tragic loss.
What YOU did in FY24:
