Lourdes Mack Graduation
Lourdes Mack in her Graduation Cap and Gown

The tears Lourdes Mack has shed are tears of joy, not sadness.


They come from facing life's challenges head-on and refusing to give up.


For many students, college presents its own set of challenges. But for Mack, earning a certificate through Tri-County Technical College's I-BEST (Integrated Basic Education and Skills Training) program required overcoming hurdles that extended far beyond the classroom.


Her journey was not defined simply by coursework and exams. It was marked by health challenges, transportation barriers, personal loss and academic setbacks. 


Born with spina bifida, Mack is paralyzed from the waist down and uses a wheelchair.


Three days a week, Mack woke before dawn to catch a public transit bus at 5 a.m. for her 8 a.m. classes. While the distance from her home to campus is roughly 20 minutes by car, making the trip by bus took nearly three hours. 


 “Just because something is difficult, it doesn’t mean it’s not worth trying,” Mack said.
Sometimes, wheelchair-accessible buses were unavailable or malfunctioning, leaving Mack stranded on campus while she waited for another ride. She often relied on family members, friends or even I-BEST Program Director Catherine DuRant to get home.


Mack recalled the frustration of being stranded on campus.


 “The amount of times I would be stuck at Tri-County because the [wheelchair] ramp was no longer working, or the [wheelchair] ramp wasn’t coming down,” Mack said. 


On other days, Mack was stuck in the rain waiting for the bus to get home.  

Transportation issues were only part of the challenge. 


In 2020, following her father's death, Mack left Los Angeles and moved to South Carolina.
A die-hard Disney fan, Mack hoped to build a future for herself through the Disney College Program in Florida. 


However, health issues forced her to return to South Carolina. 


Back in the Palmetto State, she wanted something more for her life. She decided to pursue a college education, but her grades were too low for admission. 


“I tried applying to Anderson University. I wasn’t even aware of how far my grades had tanked.”
Mack didn’t meet the admission requirements at AU, but she didn’t give up. 


Mack has long been involved in community organizations. In South Carolina, she volunteered at United Way of Anderson County. 


While there, she shared her goal of returning to college. 


Through a connection at United Way, Mack learned about Tri-County’s I-BEST program and how it could help improve her grades and return to college.  


“They said it was three times a week, and it’s completely free. They said all supplies, and everything, all books, tuition, all of that is free. It will help with your grades.”


I-BEST is a free, one-semester program that helps unemployed and underemployed students explore careers, earn college credit and gain industry-recognized credentials.


“I knew the program was going to get me to my ultimate goal of being fully able to come back to school and it worked.”


Mack enrolled in the Manufacturing Pathway. 


The certificate prepares students to transition from nonmanufacturing jobs to entry-level positions in manufacturing while continuing the technical and postsecondary study needed for career growth and advancement. 


In the program, Mack did well, despite missing class a few times because of her health.


 “Don’t ask me how, I still don’t know. I somehow managed to make it out of that semester with straight A’s,” she said. “It was the first time it happened in my academic career.”


She was also able to get her Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)-10 and Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt certification.


Mack graduated from the program with a Manufacturing Production I certificate in spring 2026.

 
Today, Mack is pursuing a degree in business and entrepreneurship through online classes.


“I always knew that this is for something, this is going to be worth it in the long run. This is going to be a fun story to tell my kids someday.”


She credits her boyfriend as being a huge supporter and says he has encouraged her throughout her journey. 
Mack’s personal goal is to open an all-inclusive nonprofit dance company.


The dance company would help children and families with low or limited income. 


“The reason I want one [a dance studio] is because I know others who started one back in L.A. They don’t feel the need to expand past the west coast, but I want something that can expand past its initial location and can reach as many people as possible.” 


For years, Mack says she grew accustomed to hearing "no" because of her disability. 


Earning her certificate changed that.


“The world keeps telling me ‘no,’ I’m going to give myself my ‘yes.’ And I got it. If I can do this, I can go back to school and someday open up that company. It’s not going to be easy, but definitely worth it,” she said. 


For Mack, seeing her story in writing brought her to tears. 


The tears represent how far she has come. 


Now, with a Manufacturing Production I certificate completed and a college degree underway, Mack is focused on her future.