Computer science major Belen Cardenas didn't write her first word with a pencil. She wrote it with her feet.
Born with arthrogryposis multiplex congenita, a rare condition that leaves joints stiff and muscles underdeveloped, Belen found ways to do everything she was told she couldn't. She learned to write with her feet, then with her mouth, and eventually by hand. She didn't walk until first grade
This spring, though, she proudly crosses the stage at Lawson State Community College with a 3.9 GPA and plans that stretch far beyond the diploma.
"Never judge a book by its cover," Belen says. For her, that's hardly a platitude. It's the truth.
A graduate of Bessemer City High School (where she finished in the top five of her class) Belen arrived at Lawson State on a full scholarship. Her destination was always clear: the University of Alabama at Birmingham, where she now plans to earn a bachelor's degree in Information Technology.
"Going to UAB has been my dream since I was a kid," says Belen, who now has a scholarship offer from the university to make that dream come true, too.
At Lawson State, she excelled in English 101 and her Python courses, crediting computer science instructors as mentors who shaped her journey. She came to Lawson already seasoned, though, having completed both dual enrollment and AP coursework simultaneously in high school.
Even back in middle school, teachers were already calling on her to demonstrate how to operate the Promethean boards in the classroom. By the time she declared her major at Lawson, technology wasn't something she had to be introduced to. It was already hers.
But Belen will also tell you that full-time college still has a learning curve.
"The first semester will kick your butt - at least for me it did," she says, looking back and now laughing about it. "You have to adapt to it."
Belen's vision for what comes after transferring to UAB and completing her bachelor’s degree is specific, practical, and deeply personal. She plans to launch her own IT company with two missions.
The first: servicing malfunctioning self-checkout kiosks, an idea sparked in childhood when she watched long lines pile up at Walmart behind broken machines. The second: offering free technology classes for senior citizens.
"I see a lot of elders who need help with technology," she says. "I hear them say, 'Oh dear, I'm too dumb to learn,' and I tell them, 'No, you're not. Everyone can learn at every age.'"
Her advice to any high schooler weighing their options? "If you want to be a debt-free student, go to a community college. Don't worry - two years will pass by so fast, you're gonna be like, wow."
This summer marks Belen's first real break in six years of continuous academic work. "My plans? I think I'll spend some time decompressing, drawing and listening to music."
Come August, she'll be back, rested and ready to take on new challenges.
Thinking about starting at a community college and transferring? Learn how Lawson State's transfer pathways and scholarship opportunities can make a four-year degree more affordable.
