Michell Hacker
As someone “who always wanted to take care of people,” Michell Hacker’s dream job was being a mom. She lived that dream with zeal, even while recognizing the likelihood of an expiration date.
Instead of preparing for the looming void, Michell began pursuing a second dream job – one that required college credentials -- while also planning for the day her own son and daughter would go off to college.
Michell earned a radiology technology degree at Yavapai College, graduating in 2019 at age 47, and is a healthcare hero with the radiology department at Yavapai Regional Medical Center.
“It’s never too late and you’re never too old,” said Michell, a first-generation college student who shared her mid-life accomplishment in a comment on a YC social media post. “The window is open for everyone. There’s no time limit on what you want to do.”
Like many moms who devote themselves to their families, Michell started wondering about the future when her son and daughter were adolescents. The consummate nurturer who had always worked odd jobs from home or helped in the family business – dreaded the thought of not being useful or needed. “I have to find something for myself,” she recalled thinking.