Search | Menu 2025 graduates: Stories of persistence, strength and success
Karen Contreras is a first-generation, international student who moved from Colombia to pursue new opportunities and discover her purpose at Madison College. A Fit/Rec/Well graduate, Contreras balanced academics with leadership, work, and service by teaching fitness classes, working in the campus bookstore and fitness center, volunteering in the community and serving as president of the I’m First-Generation student club. Through challenges of language, culture and self-doubt, she found confidence, community, and her voice, culminating in her role as the Fall 2025 commencement student speaker.
Words to inspire:“In a world that measures success by speed and perfection, remember this: life is not a strict timeline. Trust your timing—being YOU is success.”
Karla Perez is a Madison College nursing graduate whose journey to graduation reflects resilience, perseverance and hope. A teen mom and first-generation college student from an immigrant family, Perez balanced coursework, work and motherhood while navigating personal and academic challenges. She credits the support of her family, faculty and the Madison College community for helping her persist and believes her story represents the quiet strength and determination shared by many graduates in the Class of 2025.
Words to inspire: "We are leaving here today not just with knowledge, but with empathy. Not just with ambition, but with gratitude. Because we know now that no one achieves anything alone, it takes community, compassion, resilience and the courage to keep going.”
Furkan Sindar is an international student from Turkey and a 2025 Madison College graduate whose journey has been shaped by leadership, service and a commitment to inclusion. He graduated in December 2025 with an Associate Degree in Information Technology – Web Software Development and will earn an Associate Degree in Information Technology – Front-End Development in May 2026. During his time at the college, Sindar served in Student Government as Governor and Reedsburg Campus Senator and helped establish the International Student Affairs Committee to amplify international student voices. As part of the Honors Program, he completed a project focused on accessibility, helping create an inclusive e-commerce website for a small business and reinforcing his belief that education should expand who gets to participate. Sindar plans to carry forward Madison College’s values of community, equity and civic engagement into his next academic and professional chapter.
Words to inspire:“Congratulations, Class of 2025. May we leave here ready to build a world that is more accessible, more inclusive, more equal and more hopeful for everyone.”
Sara Ashton’s path to graduation is one of resilience, recovery and perseverance. Eleven years ago, she arrived in Wisconsin with a one-way bus ticket, rebuilding her life after homelessness and addiction to be closer to her family and create a stable future. Over time, she achieved sobriety, purchased her first home and committed to finishing her education—this time for the right reasons. At Madison College, Sara found more than coursework. She leaned on campus resources, learning that asking for help is a strength, not a weakness. After 4½ years of steady determination, graduating represents a milestone she once thought was out of reach.
Words to inspire: “This degree is a reminder that I didn’t give up, even when life gave me every reason to. Moving forward, I plan to keep using what I’ve learned to help others who know what it feels like to be without a home. This isn’t the end—it’s the start of something bigger.”
