Meet Nanci

The power of being seen and heard: How Nanci found her way back to the finish line

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For Nanci Palacios, a senior sociology student at California State University San Marcos, the path to her graduation hasn't been a straight line. After three years of school, Nanci made the brave decision to take a two-year break to prioritize her mental health — something she has worked hard to destigmatize within her family. "In my culture, we often shove it under the rug," Nanci explains. However, because of her close relationship with her family and with the unwavering support of her boyfriend, she was able to explain to her parents the importance of expressing her feelings and receiving the care she needed, and they quickly became her biggest advocates for her mental health.  

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Once she was ready, returning to campus after two years felt “a little bit scary,” to say the least. Nanci was intimidated by the changes she’d encounter, worrying about everything from financial aid to finding parking in order to make it to class on time — something she struggled with when she was previously enrolled. But she wasn't alone in navigating these obstacles. 

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Through the California Reconnect program, her school connected her with an InsideTrack coach who provided both practical tips and emotional check-ins. "At first I thought she was just possibly part of campus, like a counselor, but then slowly I started learning she was my coach." 

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As their relationship grew — through quick text messages, motivational emails and frequent check-ins — Nanci came to understand how important it was to have her coach in her corner. "It was really amazing to have someone see me and hear me," Nanci says. "She didn’t only feel like my coach, she felt like my family, someone I could talk to about everything and know she would have my back.”

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"She didn’t only feel like my coach, she felt like my family, someone I could talk to about everything and know she would have my back.”
— Nanci Palacios, Student, Cal State San Marcos

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Choosing persistence through family health challenges

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Just as Nanci was finding her rhythm back in school, however, she received a life-altering phone call: her father, her biggest inspiration, had been diagnosed with cancer. Her immediate instinct was to stop out of school again to become his full-time caregiver. "In that moment, my dad was my first priority." She recalls thinking, “I had to put my dad before school.”

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However, her father insisted she stay the course. "‘You’re going to graduate,’ he told me. ‘You’re going to do things I didn’t do.’" Even though they could both see the severity of what he was going through, he just kept cheering her on, and this mutual support has become their fuel.

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Nanci manages a packed schedule balancing her father’s doctor appointments, her job of 10 years and late-night study sessions. Her coach helps her balance all of these things by providing personalized strategies and reminders that keep her academic goals within reach despite her heavy responsibilities. She also uses dancing to de-stress — a joy her father taught her and what her coach encourages her to do any time she feels down. Even on the hardest days, Nanci and her dad push each other toward the finish line.

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A shared dream of helping others

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Nanci’s life experiences have inspired her goal of becoming a social worker — specifically helping youth who have fallen on hard times. She knows what it feels like to wonder, Who heard me today? Who saw me? and she wants to ensure the next generation feels seen and valued as well. "When you finally have that, you have the motivation to do things you wouldn't normally do," she explains. 

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Her father sees this potential in her, too: “Vas a poder ayudar a niños porque has estado estudiando psicología para niños. Me voy a sentir muy contento porque tú ayudes a los niños.” ("You'll be able to help children because you have been studying child psychology," he says. "I’ll feel very happy because you help children.") 

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When Nanci crosses the graduation stage, the first person she plans to run to is her dad — a moment that will be celebrated with their signature "hand hug," a tradition where they clasp hands before pulling into a full embrace. As Nanci nears the end of her journey, her message to others is simple: "It doesn’t matter how long it takes you, just finish."

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"It doesn’t matter how long it takes you, just finish."
— Nanci Palacios, Student, Cal State San Marcos