Tracy Sanchez My Name Is Tracy Sanchez.

¶ … Tracy Sanchez My name is Tracy Sanchez. I currently live in Secane, Pennsylvania. It was a couple of years ago, in my mid-thirties, when my life took a dramatic turn. I had worked at a company for fourteen years when the company downsized. The downsizing forced me to do two difficult things, change occupations and take a cut in salary. I found a job as an Administrative Assistant at The American College.

The American College is unique in that it specializes in financial services, offering students designations, such as Certified Financial Planner (CFP), Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC), Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU), Chartered Leadership Fellow (CLF), Registered Health Underwriter (RHU), Registered Employee Benefits Consultant (REBC). The college is also different in that it offers students a way to learn outside of the traditional classroom (distance learning). Students earn their designations when they pass a computerized examination.

Being in the academic environment and unhappy with my current professional life, I set a goal to further my career via education. This had always been one of my dreams, but work and life in general always stood in the way. My goal presented several challenges. One was that given my current work situation, it appeared my only alternative was to attend on-site, evening classes. Unfortunately, this option was more than a challenge -- it was impossible. I suffer from a chronic condition known as Crohn's Disease.

One of the manifestations of the disease is that it limits the amount of activities a person can participate in. At this point, I saw that my goal to pursue my education was not going to get past the starting line. I didn't want to give it up, but it seemed I had no other choice. The realization was a crushing blow.