A Journey of Resilience

Alexandra Benson's Graduate Success Story

For Alexandra Benson, Butte College became a source of stability during some of the most difficult years of her life. Over nearly two decades, Benson pushed through adversity while steadily working toward her degree in an effort to rebuild her future.

Graduating with a degree in Health Occupations Preparation, Benson plans to continue her education by pursuing nursing, with long-term goals of becoming a certified registered nurse anesthetist. Her path to graduation took time and was full of challenges along the way.

Benson grew up in Butte County and was raised in the foster care system until she emancipated at the age of seventeen.

“Coming out of the foster care system, there wasn't a lot of direction or guidance,” she said. “I knew that I wanted to be educated to be successful…so it was an easy choice for me.”

Benson originally began her studies as a pre-law student before discovering her passion for healthcare and service to others. Along the way, she became a mother of three daughters, and faced significant personal challenges, including surviving a domestic violence relationship.

It was through the help of Stephanie Jimenez, the former program coordinator of the Butte College Safe Place and Wellness Program, that Benson was able to walk away from the domestic violence situation. It took one conversation with Jimenez for Benson to see where she needed to make a change.

“Then I understood the severity of my situation, how dangerous it was, how scary it was, and the effect it had on my children,” she said. “Being in that trauma all the time, you're just surviving. It's hard to objectively think about getting out…[Jimenez] held up a mirror for me to see the reality of my situation and the possibility of what life could be.”

Benson pushed forward, transforming from a struggling student into a Phi Theta Kappa honors scholar, earning awards from the science department and eventually being selected as the college’s 2026 commencement speaker.

Her experiences shaped the message she now shares with others about resilience and growth.

“I think adversity strengthens us. Iron sharpens iron,” she said. “Statistically speaking, people like me don't live the life I'm living. I could have given up 100 times and never did…and it is because of that tenacity that my life is beyond amazing.”

That perspective continues to guide Benson as she looks ahead. She plans to attend California State University, Chico in the fall while applying to nursing programs. For her, each new goal is connected to the same motivation that carried her through college: creating a better future for herself and her daughters.