Banyan’s ASPIRE youth have made next steps decisions as they wrap up their high school careers. With many factors to consider, it’s no easy decision. After weighing all the options, we’re proud to share that this year’s ASPIRE graduates have made the following decisions.

  • Eric has been accepted to the University of St. Thomas and has enlisted in the National Guard of Minnesota. Banyan’s College and Career Counselor has been able to meet with recruiters and Eric as he prepares for this next step. He will begin at St. Thomas in the Spring, after completing his National Guard training.
  • Becky reports that a visit she completed with Banyan to St. Paul College was a deciding factor for her. She was drawn to the calm environment of the school and is excited to start her journey to become a nurse. She would like to serve seniors as an LPN in a care facility.
  • Jackie has a heart for helping people. She highly appreciates the Banyan team for their willingness to sit down and talk with her frequently throughout this entire process. She plans to study Social Work or Psychology at Minneapolis Community & Technical College.
  • Mayra is looking forward to focusing on nursing classes at the University of St. Thomas. She is thankful that Banyan took her on so many college visits to help her discern that she wanted to attend a private school.
  • Angie was torn between two options: St. Olaf College and Oregon State. These are two very different choices but both with great Environmental Studies programs. Ultimately, Angie decided she wanted a smaller school community and has enrolled at St. Olaf College.
  • Karla had chosen Augsburg University but making this decision was challenging since she was accepted to six different schools! Karla has since determined she needs more time to reflect. This summer Karla will be working closely with our College & Career Counselor exploring other colleges, researching her desired career field, and applying to new schools.
  • Brian shared that Jae, College & Career Counselor, was instrumental in helping him affirm “I really wanted to do this career.” Brian will be heading to Dunwoody College of Technology to study Electrical Engineering. Brian will be part of the Pathways to Careers Program (P2C) while at Dunwoody and hopes to eventually own his own business.

Congratulations to all of the graduates! Everyone at Banyan Community is so incredible proud of your accomplishments! We’re happy to celebrate alongside you and look forward to continuing the journey with you in college through our Scholars program.