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Samantha Roberts works in the Student Service Center at Southwestern Michigan College's Niles Campus, but she's more apt to be mistaken for a traditional-aged student than an adult learner.

Roberts graduated from Niles High School in 2012. She started college right away but left to take a job in banking. “I always thought about going back to school, but kept putting it off,” she said. “Then Michigan's Futures for Frontliners came out, so I started looking at different programs.” Futures for Frontliners is a state scholarship program for Michigan residents who worked frontline jobs in essential industries during the COVID-19 shutdown.

Roberts also receives Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act assistance through Michigan Works for textbooks and fees not covered by Futures for Frontliners. She is pursuing a degree in health information technology (HIT). The HIT program is offered in the evenings at the Niles Campus.

What drew her to HIT? “When I started college the first time, I was going for veterinary medicine because I really enjoy science,” Roberts shared. “Even with the information technology side of things, I love the amount of medical knowledge I need to know for this degree.”

After completing an internship late this summer, Roberts will take the national certifying exam to become a registered health information technician.