When Tajaah Milton walked across the stage at Diablo Valley College’s 73rd Annual Commencement Ceremony in 2025, she wasn’t just graduating — she was sharing her story of perseverance and purpose as the student commencement speaker. A proud sociology major, Tajaah is now preparing to continue her education at a California State University, but her road to that commencement stage was anything but easy.
“My goal was always to transfer and take the next step toward earning my bachelor’s degree,” she says. “DVC made that possible.”
Originally from Oakland, Tajaah is a first-generation college student, a parent and an adult learner who returned to school while juggling up to two jobs. “It wasn’t easy,” she admits. “But it taught me discipline and drive. I wanted to retrain for a career that reflects my values. I’m building something that matters to me.”
Tajaah didn’t always know sociology was her path. She enrolled as a business major, but a sociology course with Professor Darrol Hughes changed everything. “That class opened my eyes. It challenged me to think differently. It sparked something in me that I didn’t know was there,” she says. “The next semester, I changed my major. I’m forever grateful to him.”
Throughout her college journey, life tested Tajaah in painful ways. Two semesters stand out in particular: she lost a close friend to pneumonia during pregnancy and, not long after, her beloved older brother passed away from kidney failure.
“He was my heart. Losing him broke me in a way I didn’t know was possible,” she says. “I was grieving, parenting, working and studying. It felt like too much. I wanted to quit so many times.”
But she didn’t. For her son — and for herself — she kept going. “I had to show him what resilience looks like,” she says. “This pain wasn’t the end of my story. It was part of my purpose. And now I’m a graduate. That diploma isn’t just paper. It’s proof that I never stopped believing in a better future.”
Still, reaching that point required more than perseverance; it required transformation. For much of her life, Tajaah struggled academically. Getting Ds and Fs made her question her potential. But at DVC, everything changed.
“When I started earning As and Bs, I couldn’t believe it,” she says. “I thought I was faking it. But I wasn’t. I was finally getting the support I needed — and realizing I’ve always been capable.”
Support came from all directions, including encouraging professors, the tutoring center, and counseling and mental health services. The free Food Pantry helped her feed her family, and disability accommodations made it possible for her to learn in ways that worked for her. “DVC didn’t just help me academically - it supported my whole life.”
DVC’s Program for Adult College Education (PACE) program played a crucial role in helping Tajaah balance the demands of school, work and parenting. Designed specifically for busy adults, PACE offers flexible online classes, dedicated counselors and a supportive learning community that makes returning to college not just possible, but achievable.
She credits the PACE program and the Extended Opportunity Programs and Services (EOPS) team as key parts of her success. “They saw something in me and helped bring it out. They poured into me in ways I’ll never forget.”
So, what did Tajaah love most about DVC? “It gave me a second chance. When I didn’t believe in myself, DVC believed in me. I came in unsure and afraid. I’m leaving with confidence, clarity and purpose. DVC gave me strength; it changed my life.”
With Cal State on the horizon, Tajaah’s just getting started. In her words, “the sky’s the limit.”
Learn more about DVC's sociology associate degree for transfer and the PACE program.
