A Student’s Journey from the Philippines to Longmont
Grit, Growth, and Leadership at Front Range Community College
At just 20 years old, Hanna Palomo has already lived a life of resilience, discovery, and leadership—bridging continents, cultures, and communities—as she gets ready for graduation at Front Range Community College (FRCC) on May 13.
When Palomo immigrated to the United States from the Philippines just before the pandemic, she couldn’t have known her first years in America at Twin Peaks Classical Academy would be spent behind a screen, isolated during remote learning, in a brand-new country.
“I didn’t have any close friends,” Palomo recalled. “It was hard for me, not only to get used to the language, but also doing online classes. It was very new to me. Not having in-person contact with teachers and peers made everything harder.”
But fast forward to 2025, and Palomo, now a student leader and future CSU transfer, is thriving.
Palomo is the Chair of the Chamber Student Network (CSN), part of the Longmont Chamber of Commerce—a group former FRCC students helped found. She’s completing her Associate of Science in Business Marketing at FRCC while enrolled in a staggering 21 credits this semester.
When asked, she temporarily forgot the title of one of the classes.
“I’m taking stats, accounting, women’s history, nutrition, science in society, ethics… I forget the last one,” Palomo said, laughing.
Her strategy to manage it all?
“I have a weekly planner. I map out all the deadlines and then break it down by hours per day per class. Like, if one class needs six hours in a week, I’ll divide that into two-hour blocks over three days,” Palomo said.
She will begin her studies in Business Marketing at CSU in Fall 2025, thanks to the Ram Transfer Academy, which guarantees admission for eligible community college students. While Palomo already had an interest in business—her father works in sales—she credits one professor at FRCC with deepening that passion.
“My leader was Alyssa Sherick. She was my Introduction to Business professor. She was so organized and engaging,” Palomo said. “She’s very informative, and she’s been through a lot of struggles in her own business journey.”
Sherick remembered Palomo’s early days in the classroom.
“When Hanna first joined my class, she was very quiet and observant,” Sherick said. “Over time, she began to open up and engage more deeply. It became clear that she had a strong understanding of the material and was thoughtful in her contributions. Watching her growth throughout the course was both rewarding and inspiring.”
Palomo emphasized that kind of inspiration made a big difference in her early college experience.
“She was one of my first business professors, and hearing real stories from someone who’s been there, it made the field feel real,” Palomo said.
Sherick views authenticity and real-world relevance as essential to her teaching approach.
“I incorporate hands-on activities, real-world examples, and personally created presentations rather than standard textbook slides,” Sherick explained. “I infuse humor and energy into my teaching, but I also challenge students to think critically and connect course concepts to current events and their own lives. Engagement, to me, is about creating a space where students feel seen, supported, and stretched beyond memorization.”
Sherick also brings her personal journey into the classroom, something that resonated deeply with Palomo.
“I share stories from my own path to show that success in business and education isn’t always linear,” Sherick said. “I want students to know that it’s okay to stumble and that their identities, backgrounds, and challenges are not obstacles, but assets.”
Hanna Palomo was born on the island of Mindoro and lived in various parts of the Philippines before immigrating. She went to school there through 8th grade before moving to Longmont with her mom and brother.
“My dad was already here. We moved for better opportunities and especially for education,” Palomo said. “I feel like I’m actually learning and applying things. In the Philippines, it was more memorization. I wanted to learn more, and that’s what happened here.”
When Palomo arrived in the United States from the Philippines, she didn’t have a parade waiting to greet her—just opportunity, curiosity, and a community she would come to know and contribute to.
Palomo arrived during the pandemic and began her American education while still in high school. The transition, while daunting, wasn’t without support, especially from the local Filipino American community.
“There’s a pretty big Filipino community here in Longmont,” Palomo said. “People in our neighborhood were always very willing to support us, like helping us get our license, or giving advice. It made it easier to ease into it.”
Despite the help, the cultural shift took some getting used to.
“One of the biggest shocks was going into stores and not seeing security guards,” Palomo shared. “In the Philippines, every store has a security guard, with a gun, checking your bags before you go in and when you leave.”
Another unexpected adjustment was the shift in social culture.
“In the Philippines, people care a lot about what you do,” Palomo said. “Here, people mind their own business. You could dance in the middle of the floor and nobody would care.”
Palomo’s English had been taught since grade school in the Philippines, but her accent and grammar still gave her pause.
“Speaking English in the Philippines is seen as a sign of being rich. Sometimes people would make fun of you if your grammar was perfect,” Palomo explained. “So, I was afraid to speak in class here. I was scared people would laugh at me.”
Fortunately, that wasn’t her experience.
“People were supportive. They corrected me, but in a helpful way. That’s how I learned to speak better,” Palomo said. “One of the people who helped me a lot was my best friend. She loves English, she’s a total bookworm, and she would correct me if I said something wrong. I kind of copied what she said and applied it in conversations. It actually worked.”
That early guidance helped Palomo not only acclimate but eventually thrive. Attending a small charter school, Twin Peaks Classical Academy, helped with the transition.
“If I’d gone to a bigger school like Silver Creek or Longmont High, it might’ve been overwhelming,” Palomo said. “But our school was small—around 200 students. That helped me connect with people more.”
She also found community through sports.
“I did cross country and basketball. I joined because a classmate asked me to, and I stayed with it for four years,” Palomo said. “Basketball is huge in the Philippines.”
While balancing sports, classes, and adjusting to a new country, Palomo eventually took on her first college class, public speaking, while still in high school.
“I was nervous, but I think it was the perfect class to start with. It helped build my confidence,” Palomo said.
College wasn’t always part of the plan, though. Palomo admitted that the idea of community college was entirely new to her.
“In the Philippines, you apply to a college and that’s where you go,” Palomo explained. “There’s no such thing as community college.”
Her perspective changed when her mother, who enrolled in an English as a Second Language program at FRCC during Palomo’s high school years, told her about her experience. That revelation opened her eyes to a broader range of options.
“She loved it,” Palomo said. “She talked to me about it, and that’s how I found out community college existed.”
During her junior year, discussions with advisors and teachers at Twin Peaks made the concept of community college more concrete.
“I really like college a lot better than high school,” Palomo said. “I like that I could just do whatever after my class, whenever.”
College also allowed Palomo to stay close to familiar faces.
“A lot of my senior class went to Front Range,” Palomo noted. “I still see them there. And my best friend, who helped me with English, went there, too.”
At FRCC, Palomo’s college journey evolved from quiet classes to bold leadership. She joined the Chamber Student Network (CSN)—a business club that collaborates with the local Longmont Chamber of Commerce—after learning about it through her father.
“My dad’s a chamber member, and I talked to the previous CSN chair at an event,” Palomo said. “After attending one meeting, I got involved in the leadership team, doing marketing, flyers, and Instagram posts.”
Eventually, as other members graduated or moved on, Palomo was chosen to chair the organization.
“I became chair of the business club, got it re-approved at Front Range, and led it from last fall through this semester,” Palomo said. “It gave me a bunch of opportunities I didn’t think I could get at a community college.”
Those opportunities included a paid internship with the City of Longmont, a free mentorship she still benefits from, and experience planning events like a business plan competition, marketing competition, business hackathon, and even a business-themed Jeopardy event.
Sherick viewed Palomo’s leadership as exceptional.
“While many students are dedicated in the classroom, it’s relatively rare to see someone extend that knowledge into meaningful leadership so quickly,” Sherick said. “Hanna is one of a small number of students I’ve seen over the past six years who has stepped into a formal leadership role beyond the classroom. Her initiative is a testament to her passion for business and her commitment to making an impact.”
Sherick added that business education can be especially empowering for students like Palomo.
“For students who may be navigating cultural expectations alongside academic ones, business becomes a language of empowerment,” Sherick said. “It gives them the confidence to lead, influence, and innovate in any environment, while also embracing their unique perspectives.”
When asked how she would describe Palomo, Sherick made it clear.
“Passionate, kind, and strategic. She brings heart to her work, treats others with respect, and thinks intentionally about the long-term impact of her actions—qualities that will serve her well as she continues to grow as a leader,” Sherick said.
Seeing Palomo now, on the cusp of transferring to CSU and embracing leadership roles, fills Sherick with pride.
“Watching students like Hanna take initiative, embrace leadership, and plan their next steps with purpose is exactly why I love this work,” Sherick said. “It’s a reminder that when students invest in themselves and take risks outside their comfort zones, they open doors not just for themselves, but for others who look up to them.”
Now, Palomo’s preparing to transfer to CSU in Fort Collins this fall. After touring the campus and learning about their Rams Transfer Academy, she chose CSU over other options like CU Boulder.
“I want to learn more than just business,” Palomo said. “I plan to join the Asian Pacific club too. I saw they had one when I toured.”
Reflecting on her time at FRCC, Palomo credits the community college with preparing her well. When asked whether she found her story inspiring, Palomo was humble.
“I feel lucky. Sometimes it’s inspiring for my cousins. But when I’m just by myself, I think I’m just doing my thing,” Palomo said. “A lot of people have the same story as I did.”
Palomo found a space to grow, and she’s making the most of it. Two years later, she’s on the fast track, set to graduate with her associate degree, ready for the next step—and grateful.
“I’ve worked hard to get here,” Palomo said. “But I also had help. My professors, my community, my family. I’m proud of how far I’ve come.”
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