Success Stories

Crestcencia Ortiz

Looking back to a time when she was unemployed and temporarily homeless, Crestcencia Ortiz remembers feeling like giving up. Today, at age 28, she has a job she loves and is living the life that was once only a dream.

What made the difference? Ortiz points to her college degree – a Bachelor of Arts in Theater earned from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas in May of 2010.  

Sometimes, the road to earning a college degree is filled with obstacles.  For Ortiz, a first-generation college student, those obstacles included a bad divorce, a cross-country move to Las Vegas, loss of credits from changing schools and majors, and struggles with math and science resulting from an undiagnosed learning disability.

It took 10 years and many stops and starts for Ortiz to finally earn her degree, but with hard work, determination, and support from her mentors at UNLV, she was able to succeed. 

After attending the College of Southern Nevada for three semesters in 2007 and 2008, Ortiz was able to raise her GPA enough to qualify for admission to UNLV. However, after her first semester she decided to drop out because she still couldn’t pass the most basic math class. Fortunately, UNLV Financial Aid Advisor June Broome encouraged her to return to school. “June was like my guardian angel,” said Ortiz. “She was always supportive and simply wouldn’t let me give up.”

Upon hearing of her struggles with math, an academic coach at UNLV’s Academic Success Center referred Ortiz to the Disability Resource Center to be tested, at which point it was revealed that she had a learning disability involving numbers. “From that point on, I received the help I needed to succeed in both math and science,” said Ortiz. “I returned to school and in 2010 I became the first member of my family to graduate from college.”

Today, Ortiz is pursuing her Master’s degree with Art Concentration in Theater at UNLV. She is also employed as an academic coach in the Academic Success Center where she now helps current students successfully navigate college to fulfill their own dreams.

In 2010, she was honored by Senator Harry Reid for producing “Colored Girls,” the first African American play on campus in over 11 years, as well as for her efforts in promoting diversity.  In May 2011, Ortiz received the University’s Roosevelt Fitzgerald Award for academic excellence and community involvement.

“I remember a day long ago when I was homeless, sleeping in my car, and thinking I could never do it. I was at the lowest point in my life,” recalls Ortiz. “Fast forward to my college graduation and I’m happier than I’ve ever been. So many doors have opened for me and I’m living a life I hadn’t seen growing up, but had always dreamed of. All I can say to those who are thinking of returning to school is, ‘Do it!’”