Not only did she manage household expenses and routines after her mother, a single parent died while Jeanot was still in high school, she also looked after her two brothers who have special needs.
She shuttled to and from classes and multiple jobs by cabs and trains. Yet in spite of the difficulties, Jeanot thirved. On Tuesday she received her English degree with honors.
“It is an accomplishment I’ll carry with me for the rest of my life,” said Jeanot, who additionally received a Forensic Science Certificate from the College.
“I wouldn’t change anything for the world, because it’s my life, and it’s made me who I am today."
On campus, Jeanot is the founder of the College's Anime Club. She is Editor-in-Chief of Phoenix, the school’s literary and arts magazine, and she is author of a graphic novel - the first of three chapters has just been published.
She will pursue a career either in management with the ASPCA or a stint in the New York City police academy that would eventually allow her to transfer to an animal cruelty unit.
“There’s only one way to look, and that’s forward,” Jeanot said.
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