{"id":101272,"date":"2026-07-24T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-07-24T14:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bennett.edu\/news\/?p=101272"},"modified":"2026-07-24T09:21:56","modified_gmt":"2026-07-24T13:21:56","slug":"finish-what-you-started-program","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bennett.edu\/news\/finish-what-you-started-program\/","title":{"rendered":"Finish What You Started Program Changes Lives at Bennett"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Finish What You Started program Helps Bennett Graduates Turn Dreams Into Reality<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Bennett College Finish What You Started. (L-R) Regina Gray `26 and Gertrude Gunther `26<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Returning to college isn’t always easy. Life, family, careers, health challenges, and unexpected obstacles often force students to put their education on hold. Bennett College’s Finish What You Started <\/strong>program was created for students determined to complete their degrees, no matter where life has taken them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For members of Bennett’s Centennial graduating class, that opportunity became life-changing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Two graduates, Regina Gray<\/strong> and Gertrude Gunther<\/strong>, recently reflected on their journeys—sharing stories of perseverance, resilience, and the power of finishing what they started.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A Path That Opened New Doors<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
For Regina Gray, completing her degree became the beginning of an even bigger journey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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“Without that program, I wouldn’t be graduating and I also would not be taking the next step in my education by continuing my education and pursuing an MBA at Yale University.”<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
Gray credits Bennett College’s Finish What You Started <\/em><\/strong>program with making it possible to earn her bachelor’s degree while preparing for graduate school.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Her success demonstrates what many adult learners discover: completing one milestone often creates opportunities that once seemed out of reach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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It’s Never Too Late to Earn Your Degree<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Gertrude Gunther’s journey reminds future students that determination can overcome even the most difficult circumstances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After recently celebrating her 60th birthday, Gunther reflected on the challenges she faced while returning to school.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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“If you never give up, you can make it. For all those that think it’s too late – it’s never too late.”<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
Throughout her time at Bennett, she balanced disability, personal hardships, and demanding coursework. At one point during her junior year, she had decided she was ready to quit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Everything changed after a professor reached out with encouragement and reminded her of the impact she was already making.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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