From Uncertainty to Unstoppable

When Nataly walked across the stage in November 2023 to receive her bachelor’s degree, the moment carried deep meaning. After years of balancing work, school, and uncertainty, she could finally say: I did it.

“On graduation day, it meant a lot to me,” she said. “Being among so many other students who were maybe going through the same thing I was—and then celebrating the fact that we were finally done—it was powerful. Now, we can use this experience for our careers.”

Nataly’s path to her degree wasn’t straightforward. Interested in finance but unsure about college after high school, she joined Year Up, which sparked her curiosity about higher education.

In 2017, she interned at State Street Bank and was soon offered a full-time role. The following year, she enrolled at a Massachusetts state school, studying accounting before shifting to business and eventually discovering a love for design and communication.

She earned her associate degree, but when the pandemic hit, balancing work and online classes became overwhelming, and she stepped away.

Still, she knew the value of finishing. Friends introduced her to Duet, where the self-paced model and real-world projects reignited her motivation. “Immediately when I started doing the projects, they were a lot more interesting to me,” she said.

Nataly thrived. With support from Duet’s team, she completed her bachelor’s degree—and soon after, stepped into her role as Financial Services Associate at the national non-profit Compass Working Capital.

“I think my degree was a big part of the reason why I got this job,” she said. “I’m looking forward to growing within my organization. I really do believe in our mission (at Compass Working Capital) of ending asset poverty.

I think my degree was a big part of the reason why I got this job. I’m looking forward to growing within my organization.”

Nataly was recently promoted to a new role at Compass as Marketing Associate. For her, the degree represents more than just a credential—it’s a launching pad for the impact she wants to make in her career and community.

*Compass Working Capital and Year Up United partner nationally with Duet.