July 29, 2021

Earning a degree from Hartnell College in May brought agricultural worker Maria del Socorro Guerrero Zaragoza a giant step closer to reviving a business career she began in Mexico more than 30 years ago.

In between came marriage, motherhood and day after day spent wrapping tens of thousands of broccoli bunches for D’Arrigo California over the past 15 years.

Even when her aching hands could barely hold a pencil during evening classes, Zaragoza stuck to her goal of working behind a desk in an office rather than on her feet for eight- or 10-hour shifts.

“Hopefully I have an opportunity,” said the 51-year-old. “This is my dream.”

Maria Zaragoza in cap and gownZaragoza has completed her Associate of Science degree in Business Office Technology – Information Processing, as well as two certificates of achievement: Bookkeeping and Business Information Worker Level I. Now she seeks a chance to apply her years of education in an administrative job.

“I put a lot of effort for completing my associate degree,” Zaragoza said. “This is the wonderful effort in my life.”

Her aspiration stems from both her college study and seven years of work in accounting as a young woman in Mexico. In 1996, she married her longtime boyfriend, Reyes Zaragoza, and relocated to California. He also works for D’Arrigo, as an equipment operator. The couple settled in Castroville and raised two daughters, now 24 and 17.

The oldest, Daniela, was still in high school when she helped her mom navigate Hartnell’s computerized registration system. She went on to complete her bachelor’s degree in Social and Behavioral Sciences at Cal State Monterey Bay and now works in human resources at the Monterey County Office of Education. The youngest, Elia, just graduated from North Monterey County High School and will start at Hartnell this fall.

Zaragoza began her Hartnell studies with the High School Equivalency Program and English as a Second Language classes and then progressed toward her degree by taking a course or two each semester in computer applications, keyboarding, spreadsheets, accounting, business machines and more.

Maria Zaragoza in broccoli packaging plantShe took evening classes and studied during the afternoon and into the night, often doing more homework after church on Sunday, even when household responsibilities beckoned.

Zaragoza said her husband and daughters always helped her overcome moments of self-doubt or discouragement. But her late mother would sometimes voice a bit of worry during visits from Mexico, asking if maybe it was all too much to handle. Zaragoza is certain that her mom, who died in 2015, would be very proud of all she has accomplished.

“I completed my dream; I completed my goal,” she said. “I feel happy, and I say, ‘Mom, I got my diploma.’”

Zaragoza’s job made it impossible to take courses early in the day. Ironically, the COVID-19 pandemic allowed her to complete several General Education requirements as an online student because of its flexible scheduling.

Zaragoza expressed gratitude for all her “wonderful teachers” at Hartnell, especially longtime business instructor Peter Calvert, who would often tell her, “Maria, you can do this.”

Calvert said he will never forget Zaragoza — for dressing professionally for class every day, including a hat to match her outfit, but especially for being eager, conscientious and determined to master the subject at hand.

“Right from the beginning, no matter what happened, she had an optimistic viewpoint,” he recalled. “And there was just never any doubt in my mind that she was going to make this. It wasn’t going to matter how long it took for her to do this; she was going to do it.”