An Albany resident who moved to the United States six years ago in search of a better life has turned to Capital Region BOCES to achieve her goals.
Nadeen Arnold-Gordon emigrated to the United States in 2019 and recently earned her American citizenship.
She enrolled in March 2025 in the BOCES Adult Education High School Equivalency (HSE) program with an ultimate goal of earning her high school diploma, registering for the BOCES Practical Nursing program and becoming a nurse.
“I am working on graduating from the HSE program August 2026, and I plan on starting the nursing program thereafter,” she said with a matter-of-fact determination evident in people driven to achieve success.
Arnold-Gordon said BOCES has been challenging but rewarding.
“So far, it’s been challenging but good. I see a lot of academic growth since I started the program. It takes a lot of dedication, hard work and determination on my part,” she said.
Besides her own determination, she also credits the environment of the HSE program for her success.
“I look forward to attending classes daily; I am a student that is always early and have only missed one class since I started the program,” Arnold-Gordon said. “I enjoy working with the staff at BOCES my teacher (Kelly Mastropietro) and my case managers (Camile Hyacinthe and Kasondra Johnson), as well as my classmates.”
The Albany resident said she plans to become a nurse because she enjoys helping others.
“I have a passion for caring for others, especially the elder community,” she said.
Adult Education Program Manager Michael Markou praised the scholar.
“Nadeen is a shining example of the resilience and dedication that adult students in our programs demonstrate day in and day out,” he said. “Nadeen is polite, pleasant and hard-working and always goes above and beyond academically.”