A Better Future

When Melissa Pinto Terni enrolled with Future Forward CT and SNHU, her reason was simple: she wanted a better future. Not just for herself, but for her three children, her nieces and nephews, and everyone in her family watching to see whether it could be done.

School at 1 AM

Melissa was working full time and raising three kids inside a big family with a lot of responsibilities. There was no tidy window in her week where school could fit. So she made her own.

"I was able to do it on my own time, which sometimes would be 1 AM and 5 AM and crazy hours around my kids. And I did it."

There were moments she thought she couldn't. The Future Forward CT team kept reminding her why she started.

"There were a few times I thought I couldn't do it, but you guys helped me and reminded me this was for me."

Breaking the Cycle

Melissa grew up in a family that did not have much, watching her mother work relentlessly for everything they had. That memory shaped what finishing her degree meant to her. She wanted to break generational cycles and build something better for her family.

"I hope my kids and my nieces and nephews can look up to me."

What She's Most Proud Of

Finishing was the biggest accomplishment of her life, and its meaning extended well past her own résumé.

"It made me so proud that all the younger generations can see how important it is. It doesn't matter how old you get or how many things you've got going on. If you want to make something happen, anything is possible."

What's Next

Melissa is now looking for a role that reflects what she's earned, and a job that can move her family forward.

Her Advice

She keeps it short.

"Go for it. You can't go wrong."

On Future Forward CT: "They were awesome in all ways."

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