Alumna Living her Best Life

Earning a college degree is challenging enough. But for single parents, it can seem like an insurmountable feat. Costs like living expenses and childcare only add to the stress of paying tuition. Making time to study usually means waiting until after the kids are in bed, leading to added exhaustion and stress. 

When Joyce Antonetty attended Trident Technical College as a single parent of two young children, she knew it would be difficult. But she was determined to fulfill her lifelong dream of becoming a Fitness Specialist. 

“I wanted to help people become a healthier version of themselves,” says Joyce.

Joyce had been down this road before. Like many Trident Tech students, she had attended a four-year college immediately after high school. But when she was waitlisted to enter the Physical Therapy program at MUSC, she postponed her dream in order to start a family. 

Joyce's life took an unexpected turn when she went through a divorce in 2010. She held several respectable but unfulfilling jobs and finally made the decision to work toward achieving her original goals. She decided to enter the FitnessSpecialist Program at Trident Tech.

Joyce teaches fitness classes at the Intertech Wellness Center
on TTC's Thornley Campus 

She says, “I knew that it would be challenging, but the flexibility of the program made it possible to work and be there for my children.” 

One thing that helped was the Persevere Scholarship, a TTC Foundation scholarship that was created specifically for single-parent students. 

“I was so grateful to receive this scholarship, which recognizes the financial hardships that single parents endure daily," she says.

The Persevere Scholarship was created in 2012 by Elizabeth Colbert-Busch and her husband Claus. Elizabeth, who is retired from her position as Director of Business Development at Clemson University’s University Restoration Institute and is currently contracted with Trident Technical College, also attended college as a single mother. As someone who faced the same challenges, she wanted to try and make reaching their goals a little easier for students.

Elizabeth Colbert-Busch and Joyce Antonetty at the
2016 TTC Foundation Scholarship Luncheon

“Single-parent students like Joyce and myself are so much more motivated to be successful,” says Elizabeth. “Education is the greatest gift you can give to yourself and your children. Nobody can take that away from you.”

Joyce’s experience at Trident Tech culminated in graduating Magna Cum Laude. She met instructors who truly cared about her success and provided the most current in research as well as real-world, hands-on experience.

She also met her husband, Ricardo Antonetty, while at Trident Tech. A graduate in the same program, Joyce and Ricardo are approaching their first year as business owners of Train4Living, a mobile and online fitness training solution. They also both teach fitness classes at Trident Tech’s InterTech Wellness Center.

Joyce and Ricardo Antonetty

Joyce is a huge fan of Trident Tech and enjoys promoting the college’s philosophies and programs.

“You could say Trident Tech gave me the life I have now, and I will be forever grateful,” she says with a smile.