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From GED to Georgetown

The remarkable journey of CCBC student Kala Watkins

By CCBC Stories

October 14^th, 2025

From GED to Georgetown

When Kala Watkins stepped onto the historic campus of Georgetown University in the fall, she didn’t just start a new academic chapter, she fulfilled a dream she confessed to her great-grandfather years ago while watching a movie together. The two shared a love for the film “College Road Trip,” where a character dreams of attending Georgetown.

Kala told her grandfather, “I want to go there.”

His response: “You can.”

It took time, courage and a winding path to get there, but she did. From dropping out of high school due to serious illness, to earning her GED, to transferring from CCBC with honors, Kala’s story is one of grit, grace and self-determination.

From GED to Georgetown

From GED to Georgetown

A setback becomes a new beginning

In high school, Kala’s educational journey was interrupted by Graves’ disease, a severe autoimmune disorder that led to frequent hospitalizations. Eventually, she dropped out but her love for learning remained.

“I didn’t like being a dropout,” she says. “I still wanted to learn.”

While working full time, she enrolled in GED classes but eventually took matters into her own hands — buying test prep books and studying independently for a year. She passed.

“I earned my GED on my own,” she says with pride.

With a wealth of administrative work experience, a newfound interest in museums and history, and a GED, Kala enrolled at CCBC while continuing to work full time. Her first history class captivated her, and supportive faculty encouraged her to push further.

“I was nervous. I thought people looked down on GED students, but my CCBC professors saw something in me.”

History Professor Joshua Ackerman urged her to join the CCBC Honors College. Kala hesitated, doubting her qualifications. But he insisted: “It’s your attitude that matters. We can get you to the grades.”

Finding her voice and her people

In the Honors College, Kala discovered more than academic rigor—she found a community.

“Dean Adrianne Washington, the Honors College’s executive director, guided me and really listened to me,” Kala recalls.

Encouragement also came from Rae Rosenthal, founder of CCBC’s Honors program and current Honors College transfer advisor.

“I battled with imposter syndrome,” she shares, “But Dr. Rosenthal made me believe I could do anything.”

It was that type of support that inspired Kala to study abroad. She reached out to CCBC Global Education Advisor Rebekah de Wit who helped her secure a Gilman Scholarship to attend Queen’s University’s International Summer School in Northern Ireland.

It was Kala’s first time leaving the country. She navigated airports alone, got through a missed connection and, once arrived, immersed herself in Irish studies.

“I saw the world through a new lens. It made me want to travel more and understand global histories beyond what I knew as an American,” she says.

From GED to Georgetown

From GED to Georgetown

From GED to Georgetown

From GED to Georgetown

From GED to Georgetown

A Georgetown dream revived

Returning from Ireland, Kala had new confidence. When it came time to apply to four-year colleges, she made a list of 13 schools, mixing Ivies and local options. Still, Georgetown seemed like a fantasy.

Encouragement from Dr. Rosenthal and a campus visit changed everything. “When I walked onto the Georgetown campus, I thought, ‘This feels like my school.’”

And now it is. Kala earned full-ride offers from both Georgetown and Mount Holyoke, ultimately choosing the school she dreamed of as a child. She plans to major in history and philosophy—and eventually attend law school.

Kala says that her great-grandparents, the ones who raised her, were her biggest motivators. Unfortunately, they both passed away during her time at CCBC, but she couldn’t let that deter her. According to Kala, it’s not what they would have wanted.

“My grandfather used to say, ‘You’re a girl with a brain—go out and use it,’” shares Kala. “Losing them could have thrown me off track, but I knew I had to show up for myself.”

Now, Kala’s fulfilling their dreams too. “I’ve done something no one in my family has done—go to college. A lot of people counted me out.”

The power of showing up

Although she’s living out big dreams, she’s never forgot where it all started: CCBC.

“They give you grace,” she says. “[CCBC] puts the ‘community’ in community college.”

She especially credits Dean Washington—“the Honors College mom”—for believing in her, along with the many professors who helped her not just succeed but thrive.

“Attending CCBC was the best decision of my life. It was the game changer—not just for my grades but for my confidence.”

Now at Georgetown, with her eyes set on law school and the world beyond, Kala carries a message for anyone who’s ever felt left behind.

“Just show up for yourself,” she says. “No matter where you start, it’s not where you have to end.”

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