2025 Meet OCC Grad: Crystal Crittenden

Crystal Crittenden has always been driven to succeed. So, she was excited when she found a dual enrollment program at OCC that would allow her to take both high school and college classes at the same time. She made plans to start in her high school junior year. 

Then, her entire world changed when her mother suffered a stroke and had to go to a nursing home. Crystal moved in with her older sister and her husband and their five children.  It was a big change, including taking on new responsibilities, such as helping care for the younger children. 

First days at Oakland Accelerated College Experience (ACE)

Crystal also wasn’t sure what to expect when she walked into her first OCC class – full of students who were much older than her.  

“But the professor was so nice,” said Crystal. “She had a smile on her face and treated me just like the rest of the students. I walked in nervous but felt very comfortable by the time the class was over.”

As Crystal started adjusting to her new dual life, she realized she would need to make other changes, including prioritizing her time. Since she was attending high school and college classes together, she scaled back in other areas, including her social life. 

Transportation was another challenge that needed to be worked out. Once again, she was able to rely on her sister.

“She had to get me back and forth between high school, OCC and anywhere else I needed to go,” said Crystal. “I know she had to work that into her schedule, which can be stressful since she has a busy life. I’m truly grateful for everything she did for me.”

Leveraging support

In her lowest moments, Crystal leaned on her friends, some of whom started the ACE program with her and faced similar challenges adjusting to college life. She also threw herself into her schoolwork, studying for hours and getting ahead in some classes. 

And when she got stuck, as she did in her math classes, she relied on several resources, including the ACE staff and her professors. 

“I have a hard time asking for help,” said Crystal. “But once I did, I realized how important it was. The ACE coordinators are such amazing people. They do so much work behind the scenes, and they’re with you every step of the way. I also got to know my professors and attended their office hours.”

As she looks back on her OCC experience, Crystal is thankful for the journey and all the support she’s received. Which for her, comes back to faith. 

“When I walk across that stage, if I don’t collapse and cry, I’ll be thinking about God,” she says. “He’s the one who provided me with this great support network and got me through this.”  

Looking ahead 

As Crystal gets ready to leave OCC with her Associate in Arts degree, she’s looking forward to the next step—attending Western Michigan University as a pre-nursing student. Ultimately, she’d like to make good on her lifelong dream of being a travel nurse. 

“I’ve always wanted to help people. My sisters and mom have all worked in healthcare,” she said. “I’ve seen some of that (personal) life, and they’ve helped to give me that drive.”

She’s had conversations with nurses and doctors, and they’ve cautioned her about how hard healthcare careers can be. 

“My family has always said that you can do anything you put your mind to, and I know I can do this,” she said. “I’ve struggled at first (in college), especially going to school with other students who were so much older than me. But I did it.” 

Crystal also wants to help inspire others to pursue their college dreams.

“I want to hold a torch and just tell everybody behind me, come on, come on,” she says. “Some people think college is going to be so hard, but there’s always going to be someone there to help.”

Crystal Crittenden is graduating with an Associate in Arts. She joins more than 1,900 OCC 2025 graduates empowered to succeed. Join them in starting your someday, today.