09/17/2026
Meet LACCD Student of the Week Nathaly Morales
At 26, Nathaly Morales is giving college another try and has discovered something different about herself along the way.
Originally from Guatemala, Nathaly moved to Los Angeles with her family in 2005 and grew up in Hollywood and Van Nuys. She attended college after high school but struggled to find her place. After hearing about Los Angeles Mission College from friends, she decided to give it another shot.
Now entering her second year at Mission College, Nathaly is a full-time Communications student while also working a full-time job and on campus at the Fitness Center. She credits the community she found at Mission with helping her continue working toward her degree.
“I like to talk. I like to communicate. I like to know more about everything,” Nathaly says of choosing Communications.
Nathaly hopes to transfer to a four-year university, pursue a career in public relations and social media, and eventually earn a master’s degree. One day, she would like to return to the classroom as a college Communications professor.
Returning to college has also changed how Nathaly sees herself.
“I tend to underestimate myself and psych myself out a little bit,” she says. With encouragement from faculty and staff at Mission, she has learned to take more chances and accept that setbacks are part of moving forward. “Even if you fail, you can always get up and try again.”
Nathaly has also found support through Mission’s Dream Resource Center, where she has connected with programs and resources that have helped her continue working and attending college.
“It’s never too late, whether you think you’re too old to be in college, or whether you think you don’t have the time or the resources,” Nathaly says. “As long as you make yourself known and you make your situation known, there’s a lot of great people out there that can help you find resources and support.”
To read more about Nathaly’s story, visit lamission.edu/news
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