Jillian Cadman is a young woman who says until recently she was always quick to give up. But, knowing what she’s been through and where she is today – that’s pretty hard to believe. The last time Jillian saw her father, she was six years old. Her mother did her best to provide for her, but by the time Jillian was a teenager, her mother had become very ill and Jillian was placed in foster care.
Fast-forward several years and the new graduate of Massabesic High School decides she wants to go to college and enrolls at Kennebec Valley Community College. At the time, Jillian didn’t know the odds were against her. Only 2 – 3% of foster care youth manage to stay in school long enough to earn a degree. She admits her first semester was a tough one. She wasn’t focused on her studies; wasn’t willing to put in the work – and landed on academic probation. That’s when JMG’s College Success specialist at KVCC, Jessica Rodrigue, stepped in.
