Stories of redemption filled Wichita State’s Hughes Metroplex, as 57 graduates of a local GED program accepted their diplomas.
The ceremony celebrated students who had completed the Goodwill / NexStep Alliance GED program, with many of them also earning trade certifications through WSU Tech.
Some graduates, like Gabriela Rodriguez, said they had thought they might never get their diploma until they learned about the program.
“I had my first kiddo when I was 15, so it’s just like, life happened,” Rodriguez said. “It just seemed like an opportunity that had passed me by, but … I was put in a position where I could come back to school, and it was like my second chance.”
Rodriguez now hopes to go to college to study political science, with the ultimate goal of going to law school. She hopes to work in immigration law and civil rights.
“Without your GED, you can’t really pursue other opportunities, and personally, I felt stuck,” she said. “I’m no longer stuck. I no longer have those chains holding me back.”
NexStep Alliance also offers other forms of adult education, including tuition-free college classes and English-language courses at little or no cost to participants.
Yamir Lozada leads the program and also directs education and workforce development for Goodwill Industries of Kansas.
“Some of them come from work straight to classes and vice-versa,” he said. “Getting a chance to see them walk across the stage, which they’ve always wanted to do, is a humbling and wonderful experience for us and for them.”
Students in the GED program are able to take courses at sites around Wichita, with flexibility to suit their work schedule.
Briana Vanegmond earned her GED last year and was named the program’s 2025 scholar of the year. She learned about the program while participating in a substance use diversion program known as drug court.
“I worked at a breakfast diner in the mornings and then I went to classes in the evenings,” she said.
“It was definitely overwhelming at first, but once I got into a routine, things kind of mellowed out, and I surprise myself all the time.”
Now working for Textron Aviation, Vanegmond said completing the NexStep Alliance program has been “life-changing.” She encouraged others who might be on the fence about getting their GED to do it.
“Had I not taken that step and went back to school, I definitely wouldn’t have the job I have,” she said. “My whole life has changed. But it all starts (with) showing up for yourself.”
