Scholar Alumna: Cristen Pierce

Mixing Tracks as an Eye Opener

It’s not easy to predict what will spark possibilities in life, but it can be as unexpected as spinning records.

As a Scholar in one of the first Breakthrough of Greater Philadelphia classes, Cristen Pierce took DJing classes as part of her middle school electives and, besides the fun creative moments, she also felt her world expanding.

“I don't know why I was into DJing, but I enjoyed it,” said Cristen. “I never would have thought of taking DJing as a course, but having that really opened my eyes.”

Cristen attended Fitler Academics Plus, where she stayed in the same classroom during school hours and missed out on interacting with children in other grades. But at Breakthrough, she had the freedom to move between classes and meet peers with similar interests and a desire to explore. That included the teachers.

“We were curious about where the Teaching Fellows came from, their background, and what interested them so much that they wanted to teach,” she said. “It was just the opening of the possibility to do something different that I would never have had.”

Cristen had grit that helped her make the most of the opportunities she encountered. The high school she attended didn’t offer advanced placement courses to prepare her for the demands of pre-med college, but she had a vision and persevered.

“The opportunities that some people in my (pre-med) program had I didn't have, and I had to be okay with that,” she said. “Maybe growing up in the city gives you that thick skin to make those decisions.”

She knew she wanted to work in the healthcare field but not necessarily be a doctor – her calling was to work with the elderly. She transferred to Gwynnedd Mercy College, where she got a Bachelor’s in Gerentology, and then received a master’s degree in Gerentlogy and Healthcare Administration at Saint Joseph’s University.

Cristen has developed her career at the Veterans Administration for the past 16 years, always keeping an eye on the potential possibilities for growth – including those for her three daughters.

“I wanted my daughters to grow up where they could have more opportunities and freedom…a major focus for me was to get them out of the inner city,” said Cristen. Seven years ago, the family transferred to St. Petersburg, Florida, where she works in a supervising position with the VA.

“I always tell people, if you have the opportunity, you have to branch out,” said Cristen. “You don’t know what’s out there for you unless you take those leaps.”

Contributed by Mara Lemos-Stein