Juliette Rosado

“I decided to participate in the Metro College program because I wanted to earn a higher education without having a huge debt to go along with it,” said Juliette Rosado, a native of Louisville, Kentucky who graduated from Du Pont Manual High School.

Juliette has been with the Metropolitan College program since Spring 2016, and in this time, earned two associate degrees from Jefferson Community and Technical College and graduated this May from the University of Louisville with a Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene.

“I chose dental hygiene because I want to help people realize the connection between oral and systemic health. I also want to help decrease patients’ dental anxiety and help them want to come to the dentist rather than be scared and anxious about it,” said Juliette.

The upper division of the dental hygiene program at the University of Louisville requires two years of full-time study at the School of Dentistry, including clinical courses to prepare graduates for license as a dental hygienist. Admission to the upper division is highly competitive with a limited number of spaces. Additionally, applicants are evaluated on academic as well as nonacademic attributes demonstrated in their application materials.

While working a third shift schedule as a package handler and administrative assistant at UPS, Juliette successfully fulfilled the requirements of the dental hygiene program, maintained a high cumulative GPA, and completed community service with the YMCA helping school aged children learn while also having fun in after-school child enrichment programs.

“My biggest challenge as a MC participant has been working nights and having to also get up early in the morning for clinic as a dental hygienist. It was awfully hard at times, I wasn’t sure if I could handle both,” said Juliette. “However, with the help of my family and friends pushing me and believing in me, I somehow made it to my very last semester and graduated this May.”

This spring, Juliette received a nomination for the 2021 Outstanding Metropolitan College Student Award, an award that recognizes students who demonstrate outstanding leadership, work-life balance, and academic success.

Now, the recent graduate looks forward to making meaningful impact within the dental hygiene profession.

Learn more about Juliette Rosado in this Metropolitan College Spotlight Q&A Interview

What has been your biggest challenge as a MC participant and how did you overcome these challenges?
My biggest challenge as a MC participant has been working nights and having to also get up early in the morning for clinic as a dental hygienist. It has been awfully hard at times; I wasn’t sure if I could handle both. However, with the help of my family and friends pushing me and believing in me, I somehow made it to my very last semester and am graduating this May.

What motivates and drives you to succeed while pursuing your educational goals?
My motivation is my family. I want to have a higher education both for myself and for my parents, who made a lot of sacrifices throughout their lives to ensure that I had this opportunity.

How has working at UPS contributed to your personal and professional growth?
I have been able to develop my time management skills through working at UPS and being in the MC program.

What person(s) has been the biggest influence in your life and why?
My biggest influences have been my parents. I would not be here today with my bachelor’s in dental hygiene if it wasn’t for their constant love and support. There were plenty of difficult moments where I was not sure if I had what it took to make it out of the University of Louisville Dental Hygiene Program. And I don’t think I could have done it without their constant support.

What advice do you have for students interested in the MC program?
My advice is to believe in yourself and keep going, no matter how hard it gets. Balancing your social life, with challenging academics and working 3rd shift is awfully hard. But I believe that anything worth doing is not going to be easy, and you will be that much prouder of yourself when you reach the finish line.

What is an interesting or fun fact about yourself?
I am 1 of 7 kids, and I love it! I could not imagine being an only child.

We are proud of our current students and alumni and their incredible accomplishments! The MC Spotlight is a way for us to highlight the amazing things our current students and alumni are doing. As you read their stories, you will learn how their Metropolitan College experiences helped to shape their futures and influence their careers.

We are always on the lookout for inspiring MC Spotlight stories. If you or someone you know is interested in sharing a story with us, contact us at askmetro@kctcs.edu.

Note: At Metropolitan College, we consider our alumni anyone who has ever completed coursework and received tuition benefits with us.