A Student’s Comeback Journey from Pandemic to Graduation Stage
First-Gen Student Turned Setbacks into Stepping Stones and Found Purpose
A first-generation college student and member of the TRIO program at Front Range Community College (FRCC), Esteban Quinonez graduated with an associate’s degree and plans to transfer to MSU Denver in the fall.
Quinonez knows what it means to start over and to do it on his own terms. His current focus is on business management, but the path here has been anything but straightforward.
“In high school, I was just like... I didn’t really care about classes,” Quinonez admitted. “I was just out with my friends, just having fun. I didn’t realize how important it was.”
But that attitude began to shift. For Quinonez, it wasn’t just internal motivation, his family played a major role.
“My parents were strict on that because they both graduated from high school. That was the expectation—you gotta graduate. You gotta put in the work,” Quinonez said.
That push from home made a difference.
“I was ditching a lot, and the school called my parents and said if I ditched a few more times, I’d have to go to court,” Quinonez said. “That was when I had to stop ditching and start getting it together.”
Still, his path wasn’t linear.
“I graduated in 2020—pandemic year,” Quinonez shared. “I didn’t really have a graduation. I was used to that kind of letdown. In fifth grade, we were supposed to go on a big trip, and it got canceled because of a snowstorm. So, by high school, I was like, ‘Is this gonna happen?’ And then COVID hit.”
After graduating from Skyline High School, Quinonez enrolled in FRCC immediately, but found himself overwhelmed by the challenges of remote learning.
“I wasn’t ready for it,” Quinonez said. “It was too much, and I struggled with my first few classes. So, I took a year off—just worked and tried to figure things out.”
Transitioning to college didn’t come easily.
“The first year, I thought it was gonna be like high school—do the work last minute and still pass,” Quinonez said. “But it’s not. It’s college. Every assignment, every test—if you miss it, it affects your grade.”
The pandemic, he recalled, didn’t make things easier.
“I was mad at the world. Then not passing my college classes just made it worse,” Quinonez said.
During that break, Quinonez found work in a warehouse. At first, he thought it was tolerable, even necessary. But over time, he began to realize how unhappy he was.
“That was probably my lowest point. I was out of a relationship. The job was rough. Every day was just clock in, clock out. I didn’t feel like myself,” Quinonez said. “That made me miss school a lot. I wanted more.”
That desire to do something meaningful pushed him back into the classroom in Fall 2022. This time, with a new mindset.
“It’s your own pace,” Quinonez said. “That’s what I’ve learned. Taking breaks and coming back—it’s not failure. It’s just figuring it out.”
That wake-up call brought a new mindset. After returning from a break, Quinonez took a variety of courses, trying to find what sparked his interest. Two classes stood out.
“The class I liked a lot was ethics and psychology,” Quinonez said. “Ethics was my first class back, and it felt like a fresh start. The setup was different; we sat in a circle and had to talk. We discussed real issues, like the history of labor and current corruption. It made me realize high school gatekeeps a lot of stuff. College just tells you how it is.”
That return also marked the beginning of his connection with TRIO—a program that would become a cornerstone of his success. When student success coach Tammy Carson first met Esteban in the fall of 2023, she saw someone who wasn’t starting from scratch but was determined to finish.
“He kept showing up,” Carson said. “That’s what I’m most proud of—his persistence and dedication to finishing. He didn’t give up.”
Like many TRIO students, Esteban faced logistical hurdles, including financial aid complications. One pivotal moment came when Carson helped him discover he was much closer to graduating than he realized, thanks to AP Spanish credits he was able to test out of.
“He got really excited. His confidence just shot up,” Carson said.
That boost turned the tide. Despite the hurdles, Quinonez feels like he’s on the right track now.
“I feel like I was lost. But right now, everything’s coming into place,” Quinonez said.
Now more confident and driven, Quinonez had embraced the support of the TRIO program at FRCC, which helps first-gen, low-income, and disabled students succeed in college.
“They helped me get tutors, plan classes, and even talk to my professors to check in on how I was doing. They really supported me,” Quinonez said.
Carson saw that transformation firsthand.
“He’s really excited,” Carson said. “It’s the next big step—getting that bachelor’s degree. I think he’s going to thrive.”
Esteban has already enrolled in TRIO at MSU Denver, ensuring the support continues.
Through it all, Quinonez has learned a simple but powerful lesson: “You gotta do the work, or you’re gonna fail. Sometimes you gotta fail to succeed.”
His new academic goals are grounded in leadership.
“I want to do something in management—maybe human resources. I’ve worked with managers who don’t really lead, and I think there’s a difference between a leader and a boss,” Quinonez explained. “I want to be someone who helps the team, not just someone who watches from the sidelines.”
Though he describes himself as a naturally “B or C student,” Quinonez emphasized that grades don’t tell the whole story.
“I didn’t always have the mentality that I had to put in extra work,” Quinonez said. “But when I came back to school, I realized that’s how you get the grades up. You have to go for it. You have to do it yourself.”
Looking ahead, Quinonez is excited for what’s next, especially his graduation from FRCC, May 13, which marks his first real graduation ceremony.
“I’m hyped for it,” Quinonez said. “My girlfriend, my family—we’re all going. After that, a vacation in Mexico. I want to celebrate everything I’ve worked for.”
Carson said she wouldn’t be surprised to see Esteban return one day with his bachelor’s degree.
“I hope he comes back. I’d love to see that moment,” Carson said. “But even if he doesn’t, I know he’ll make it.”
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