By Janet Price, Regional Director of Community Education and Transition, CLE Rockville

Zach Hullings and Nicky Bleakley have been roommates and close friends ever since their arrival at CLE Rockville. But chances are neither dreamed that just three years later, they would have accomplished so much! Zach earned his B.A. in Communication from University of Maryland University College (UMUC) in December, and Nicky just graduated in May from Montgomery College with an Associate’s Degree in Game Design. We caught up with the recent graduates to talk about their accomplishments, and what they learned from CLE.

So now that you are both college graduates, what’s next?

Zach: I just finished a 10-week internship at the Phoebe Waterman Haas Observatory at the National Air and Space Museum, where I assisted the public with safely viewing the sun and Venus using telescopes, and explaining key features of both. I also assisted with hands-on demonstrations to the public if it was cloudy. Now that I’ve graduated, I’ve shifted to job searching. It’s not fun, but it’s so helpful to have people at CLE assisting me and not being alone during this process.

Nicky: Game design has always been a dream of mine. For now, I’m trying to find any paying work until I can break into the game design world.

How has CLE helped you along your path?

Nicky: I probably would never have gotten my homework done without the tutors! CLE helped me to stay on track and make moves when I would usually sit and wait for things to solve themselves.

Zach: Starting out, it helped a lot with more basic things – how to keep my apartment clean, how to live off a budget, and how to get around. I did not expect myself to be where I am when I first joined CLE. If you had asked me when I started if I thought I could have had that internship, I’d have said no chance.

What are some of your highlights from your time at CLE?

Nicky: Last summer, it seemed like I wouldn’t be able to go on my family trip to the beach. I was taking a class and had a lot of homework, and thought I would only be able to go for part of the time. But with the help of CLE tutors, I proved I could stay ahead of my work. I got to go on the entire vacation, and I even did work at the beach. It was a very proud moment when I blew their expectations out of the water.

Zach: My view of myself has increased dramatically. I’ve proved to myself that I’m capable of doing things.