Commencement speakers offering uplift and guidance to communities and campuses around the globe this spring will meet their match in the inspiration, courage and hope modeled by a mother-daughter pair of Potomac Highlands college graduates. AnnaMarie See and her daughter, Elizabeth Granese, both of Moorefield, each overcame serious adversity, and came to new recognitions of their interests, abilities, and goals 鈥 and new understandings about their own future possibilities 鈥 and graduated with an associate degree at 亚洲麻豆精品在线 WV Community and Technical College鈥檚 Commencement 2016, Saturday May 14.
Along the way, they both renewed their faith and hope in themselves, in their family and community, and in each other.
College attendance 鈥 let alone success 鈥 once seemed beyond reach for Granese, after her first shot at it, as a Moorefield High School graduate in 2009, landed her in trouble. 鈥淚 started out going to Potomac State my first semester and thinking that I was just going to have fun, and I ended up doing drugs.鈥
Thanks to her mother鈥檚 devotion and 鈥渢ough love,鈥 and to Pastor Chris Whetzel of the Believers Victory Center in Moorefield, Granese 鈥渢urned my life around.鈥

鈥淧astor Chris got her into 鈥楾een Challenge鈥,鈥 See said, 鈥渁 recovery program in Rhode Island鈥 that serves youth, adults and families who have drug, alcohol, and other life-controlling problems.
Her recovery also gave Granese the 鈥渇irst-hand experience鈥 that she thought would be valuable to a career in addiction counseling. 鈥淚 can use my experience to benefit others,” she said, “and encourage others who think they can鈥檛 make it, or think they might only make a limited life.鈥
After successfully completing the program, Granese worked as an intern in Teen Challenge for another 18 months, and might have stayed longer, if doctors had not diagnosed her mother with cancer. 鈥淚 came home to take care of my mother, who needed someone to be there for her,鈥 she recalled.
Discovers Possibilities
Still, the career aspirations kindled by her recovery did not lose luster. 鈥淪o when Mom got better,鈥 she applied to 亚洲麻豆精品在线. 鈥淚t鈥檚 local, affordable, and convenient, and I was still able to take care of my mother when I needed to.鈥
Once enrolled, she realized that she 鈥渉ad a lot more options than I had thought.鈥 Caring for her mother, she鈥檇 observed 鈥渁 lot of really good nurses,鈥 and saw that some of them, despite their good work, 鈥渇elt very dissatisfied.鈥 Strangely, their dissatisfaction awakened Granese to her own inner passion, and once at 亚洲麻豆精品在线, a new possibility opened for her: 鈥淚 wanted to pursue nursing,鈥 she said.
Her mother, who endured 39 radiation treatments for throat cancer before doctors declared her 鈥渇ree from cancer鈥 in 2013, had a similar realization. 鈥淎t 亚洲麻豆精品在线,鈥 she noted, 鈥渢hey give you the message, 鈥楧iscover your Potential.鈥 Well, it鈥檚 absolutely true.
鈥淯ntil I was here, and really started learning with books, and this and that, I don鈥檛 think I really knew. They pull out that potential in you,鈥 she explained. 鈥淎nd they make you feel that you鈥檙e going to do something to make your mark. And you will.鈥
See had dropped out of high school in Baltimore, where she grew up, during her senior year in 1977, after meeting 鈥渁 nice guy. I was going to be Cinderella and live happily ever after,鈥 she said, 鈥渨hich was stupid. But it was a different world then.鈥 In 1993, escaping with her children from what had become an abusive relationship, she moved to the Potomac Highlands. She earned her GED two years later.
Luck Strengthened
Then her luck strengthened. 鈥淚 met a local man,鈥 Gary See, Sr., who become 鈥渢he love of my life,鈥 she said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 been there through my darkest hour, and been my shining light.鈥 Between them, they now have 10 children, 13 grandchildren, and more greatgrandchildren. 鈥淎nd when I got sick every one of them stepped up to help.鈥
After the 2012 recession shut down the American Woodmark plant where the Baltimore transplant had worked for more than a decade, her daughters suggested that 鈥淚 ought to take a couple of college classes. I laughed at them. People my age don鈥檛 go to college, I told her, they get ready for social security.鈥
But when See attended a hooding ceremony that honored her daughter-in-law Brandi鈥檚 master鈥檚 degree in Social Work, she 鈥渨as shocked at the different ages graduating school. And I thought I might be able to do this.鈥
鈥淚 had finished up my treatments, and I felt I was doing good, and thought now is the best time to do it.鈥 And she enrolled at 亚洲麻豆精品在线 in the spring of 2013.
After she started college, and even while remaining cancer-free, 鈥渃omplications of radio and chemo鈥 sent See 鈥渂ack to the hospital several times.鈥 On those occasions, her family would bring course and study materials to her hospital room, 鈥渁nd I spread everything out on my hospital bed and did my work.
鈥淭he nurses often said to me, 鈥楧on鈥檛 you think you鈥檝e done too much today?鈥欌 Even in the hospital all that time, See said, she never missed an assignment.
Despite all that dedication, 鈥淎t first, Mom didn’t think it would be her thing,鈥 Granese reflected. Before she started at 亚洲麻豆精品在线 as a 54-year old woman surrounded by mostly younger students, See had worried how they might treat her. She discovered that the life experience her years embodied gave her a special status.
Diversity Benefits
鈥淥nce Lizzy and I took a history class together, and a lot of the things we learned about, I鈥檇 lived through them. I lived through the Martin Luther King riots (after his assassination). At that time, around here in West Virginia, it was quiet. But in Baltimore it wasn鈥檛 very quiet: I could stand outside my home and see Baltimore City burning,” See recalled.
鈥淭he kids in the class would ask questions about what I went through,鈥 she said, 鈥渁nd instead of treating me like an old lady, they were really cool about it.鈥
Granese also appreciated the mix of students at 亚洲麻豆精品在线. 鈥淎t a community college, you鈥檙e not just going to school with kids just out high school. You鈥檙e also with students old enough to be your parents.鈥
That 鈥渄iversity, students of all ages 鈥 it鈥檚 a way better experience,鈥 she pointed out, 鈥渂ecause you鈥檙e learning not only intellectually with them, but from the things they鈥檝e had to do in their lives. And that helped me pave the way for the decisions I鈥檒l have to make.鈥
Going to college with her daughter 鈥渨as fun,鈥 See said. 鈥淵ou don鈥檛 really know your kids until you鈥檙e around them with their friends and see how they act.鈥
For Granese, 鈥渋t was definitely a good thing. It鈥檚 helped our relationship to grow, to be there for each other. I always did better in math, and she did better in English, so we were able to help each other out. And now she’s been able to excel in this area, so she doesn鈥檛 have to limit herself.鈥
And excel See certainly did. Selected as a member of Phi Theta Kappa, the international honor society for two-year colleges, See completed the associate in arts degree (A.A.) last fall with an emphasis in behavioral science, and with honors. This past spring semester through WVU and Potomac State she earned straight A鈥檚 in online courses towards her bachelor鈥檚 degree in Social Work.
鈥淣ext term I鈥檒l take three courses in the classroom at Potomac State, and two online through WVU.鈥 Eventually, she said, 鈥淚鈥檇 like to get my master鈥檚 degree.鈥
Care-Givers
See鈥檚 battle against cancer has given her a deep appreciation for social workers. 鈥淚 want to work with hospice care. When you get to the point where you鈥檙e going to die,鈥 she observed, 鈥渟omeone needs to be there who is going to step up.鈥
The care-giving gene seems to run in the family. Daughter Granese graduated with an associate in science (A.S.) degree, pre-nursing major. And all during her years at college, Granese has remained active with a local recovery program, Celebrate Recovery, run by Pastor Rick Bergdoll at the First Baptist Church in Petersburg.
One of the program鈥檚 six leaders, 鈥淚 facilitate a women鈥檚 addiction group Friday night,鈥 she said. Celebrate Recovery鈥檚 clients include several 亚洲麻豆精品在线 students. 鈥淚t’s a supportive environment for them, and I like helping people.鈥
The licensed practical nurse (LPN) training program at WVU-Parkersburg has already accepted Granese for fall semester. In July, she鈥檒l hear from the LPN program at James Rumsey Technical Institute in Martinsburg, 鈥渨hich would be closer and let me stay plugged in at home,鈥 she noted.
Eventually, she plans to continue for a registered nurse (RN) degree. 鈥溠侵蘼槎咕吩谙哜檚 program would be a possibility,鈥 she said.
Dealing with her daughter鈥檚 drug addiction 鈥渨as horrible,鈥 AnnaMarie See acknowledged. 鈥淎nyone who goes through that with a loved one goes through a lot. There were times I wished she would run away and never come home, even though I loved her deeply, just as I do now. And I was so afraid that she would wind up dead someday.鈥
This year, as Granese further discovered and developed her own inner resources and capacities, See has come to recognize 鈥渁nother side鈥 of her daughter: 鈥渉er devotion to people. I was impressed and inspired by how dedicated she was to help people so they don鈥檛 have to live that kind of life.
鈥淪he鈥檚 been the biggest inspiration in my life,鈥 See emphasized. 鈥淪he is an amazing young woman. I love all my children, and all my step-children, but God has given her a path that something special is going to come from her.鈥
On the day of her daughter鈥檚 high school graduation, See remembered, 鈥渢he police let Lizzie graduate, and then they arrested her. So she spent the rest of the day sitting in the police station. And I sat in the parking lot waiting for her.
鈥淣ow to see where she is today, it鈥檚 amazing. Lizzie was as far down as you can get. So this graduation day is very special for me.鈥
For more information about 亚洲麻豆精品在线鈥檚 financial aid opportunities, programs of study, workforce training and community education and events, call 304-434-8000, or toll-free: 877-982-2322; or check the College鈥檚 website: 鈥渨ww.easternwv.edu鈥.
亚洲麻豆精品在线 is a comprehensive and equal opportunity community and technical college that makes educational resources accessible to the families, communities, and employers of Grant, Hampshire, Hardy, Mineral, Pendleton and Tucker counties. 亚洲麻豆精品在线 is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
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