Krystal Markovich
2024 Compton College graduate Krystal Markovich had the honor of being selected as
the student commencement speaker for the college’s annual Commencement Ceremony held
on June 7, 2024. Markovich is a nontraditional student who is fulfilling her “long
deferred dream of continuing her higher education.”
Markovich earned three associate degrees at Compton College in English, arts and humanities,
and social and behavioral sciences. She plans to transfer to a California State University
campus to earn a bachelor’s degree in English. An avid reader, she loves to curl up
with a good book. “Reading Macbeth for the first time in a Compton College English
class was beautiful and a truly an unforgettable experience!” Her ultimate dream is
to write a novel and become a published author.
With a decade passed since she had been in school, she enrolled in Compton College
in 2020 as a married mother of a six-month old child and working a full-time job as
a customer service representative. “I recognize my story diverges from the typical
student narrative, yet Compton College never saw that as a limitation,” she said.
“Instead, it provided a sanctuary for me to reclaim my dreams, to balance the roles
of student, career woman, mother, and wife with grace and tenacity.”
She thanks the faculty and staff at Compton College for their support and making a
profound impact on students’ lives. “Compton College has been more than an institution;
it has been a beacon, guiding us through this transformative journey,” Markovich said
in her commencement speech. “I am eternally grateful to the campus staff including
my Counselor Shay Brown – thank you for creating attainable goals, inspiring me to
continue with my studies, mapping out my education plan resulting in my earning three
associate degrees.”
Today, Markovich is not only a college graduate, but also leads a busy life full of
commitments to her family, community, and career. In addition to working and raising
her four-year old son with her husband of nine years, she is a dedicated community
member and serves as chair of the Planning Commission in the City of Cudahy. She is
an advocate for parents of special needs children and is passionate about mental health
awareness.
