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“Being a single mother, I get a lot of benefits from SMC. A lot. And I think that other women in my position couldn’t make a better choice than coming here.”

A child is born. Then, two people who care deeply for each other discover that their life together is untenable. The solution is obvious: separation. But there will always be the child. So what then? If you are Elena Fontillas, you decide to dedicate all your heart and soul to a search for meaning in your own life—and that of your two-year-old son—through explorations of the mind and its intricacies.

“I plan on going into Psychology all the way to getting my MD,” says Elena, mother of Max Jr. “The reason that I’m so determined, honestly, is because of what Max’s father was going through, and I wanted to do something about it to help. So I got into Psychology, thinking, ‘Now I can save the world!’ But it’s not about curing all situations, because you can’t. It’s about finding out who I am in a step-by-step growing process. This study is helping me a lot.”

Working seven days a week in her mom’s shop, making the long commute from the Valley, studying, and caring for Max... is this all possible? According to Elena, it is, and even offers a rich life. “Even though I’ve had issues to deal with, I feel that I’m moving towards something very valuable at SMC,” she says. “I don’t get much sleep, that’s for sure,” she adds with a weary laugh. “But I’m getting Financial Aid through the College, and that takes a lot of pressure off. Being a single mom at SMC means that I qualify for a lot of help. And people in my position, well, we’re some of the ones who can really appreciate it.”

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