Free Adult, Noncredit Classes Are Stepping Stones for Students

Yes, You Can

Villarreal now has an AA in Art with an Emphasis in Photography. He’ll complete a second AA, and graduate with his eldest daughter Madalena Villarreal, next spring. What a joy it has been for him to finally have time to study, and see his three daughters do the same.

It’s quite an evolution for the Texas native who began working in the fields at age 5, missing half of each school year to help support his family.

“My education was always put on hold until the crops were picked,” Villarreal said. “I’d start school late, and the teachers never had time to help me catch up. I did my best to keep up by giving 100% effort in everything.”

When his family moved to Firebaugh when he was 11, he could finally attend school fulltime, then work the fields each summer.

Villarreal graduated from Le Grand High School in 1971 and enrolled at Merced College, but a motorcycle accident forced him to withdraw. Other medical challenges and raising a family pushed college further from his reach.

Still, Villarreal bided his time for nearly 50 years, while his adult daughters thrived. Madalena is a double major at Merced College, Moniqua is the lead pharmacy technician with Golden Valley Health Centers, and Melinda is a CSU Stanislaus graduate with three degrees. Villarreal says they challenged him: “Go back, Dad. Go!”

During the pandemic, he reenrolled in a computer class. He struggled to learn how to attend class remotely via Zoom, but noncredit instructor Olga Murillo reviewed each step until he could manage it easily. Then he began mentoring others.

After taking several classes, Villarreal was eager to study his first love—photography—in for-credit classes.

“I love taking pictures,” Villarreal said. “I’ve always wanted to learn how to do it well.”

Villarreal is being humble. Self-taught, he has photographed weddings, quinceañeras and other events, for years. He even develops his own film in his home dark room.

Learning the technical aspects of photography in college has changed his life.

“Searching for the right image is pure happiness for me,” Villareal said. “I have all of this free time, but I can keep my mind busy. And I am making something of myself. Like Cesar Chavez always said, ‘Sí, se puede!’”

Don't Stop Me Now

Reza Aliakbar was self-motivated when he returned to school. He started the noncredit medical assistant pathway at the BRC to change careers and almost immediately knew it wouldn’t be enough.

Aliakbar had worked in restaurants for over 15 years. While rebooting his career, he spent 12 months learning front office and then interior medical office operations. He loved it, but realized that medical assistants have a limited scope of care. He wanted more responsibility. He studied his options.

“It seemed like the medical assistant and EMT programs would go hand-in-hand in terms of learning,” Aliakbar said. “So I have been working to become an EMT. But when I was finishing my training, my instructors were so impressed they pushed me to try the paramedic program here. I’m working to get into that right now.”

The Merced native is working just as hard to hone the compassion and professionalism needed to thrive in health care.

“Dealing with people in situations when they’re hurt or sick or suffering some stress, people can get so upset,” Aliakbar said. “Whether it’s a child, a parent, or anyone else, you have to learn how to adjust to that.”

He encourages anyone, younger or older, wanting to enter the medical field to start with the free medical assisting courses to gain a base of knowledge, and then keep going.

“The instructors on both sides, medical assisting and EMT, are just fantastic,” Aliakbar said. “They’re extremely knowledgeable and extremely encouraging and accommodating if you have any issues. They really help you overcome your obstacles to achieve your certification.”

Don’t Stop Believing

According to Karla Narvaez-Flores, Manager of Adult Education & Noncredit Programs, Merced College is doing even more this semester to help students.

The college revamped its basic computer class, now known as Essential Computing and Digital Technology, for 2025-26. The class now focuses on the basics of the internet, websites, email, artificial intelligence tools, applications like Zoom, and cloud file storage, that can help people succeed in daily life and in remote work.

This fall, the college also began giving guided tours for students at the BRC. For example, medical assisting students are taken by bus to the Allied Health Building at the Main Campus, where they have lunch and are given all the information they need to go from medical assisting to the certified nursing assistant (CNA) program.

Narvaez-Flores said the college will also bring departmental experts to the BRC to discuss different majors. Industry experts will visit to talk about local job prospects. Academic counselors will share how students can earn credit for job skills they may already have.

Adult ed and noncredit courses are the great equalizer. They’re free. Enrollment is open and ongoing. You can attend classes to learn truck driving, medical assisting, English, office technology and more. Students only need to be 18 years old to start.

“Sometimes we get people who come to ask about classes,” Narvaez-Flores said, “and we ask them, ‘Can you stay? We have a class starting right now!’”

Most adult learners who come in are trying to clear an emotional hurdle.

“Maybe they’ve listened too much to bad comments saying it would be a waste of time,” Narvaez-Flores said. “We have to be louder than those comments. We have to remind them, ‘There are no grades. You can’t fail.’ We have to be very approachable and as flexible as possible.”

Lean On Me

Murillo, who has taught at the college for five years, said most of her noncredit students are elderly. Her oldest student drove to classes in Atwater at the age of 100.

“The man just passed away at 103, but he was so eager to learn,” Murillo said. “I say, ‘If he can do it, so can you.’

“There are no excuses. So many come in afraid of doing homework and earning grades. Eligio was, too. When I mentioned taking for-credit classes, I told him, ‘You don’t have to stop here.’ Now he shares with me the photography projects he’s working on. I am so proud of him.”

Murillo now witnesses that transition more and more.

“Merced College offers so many classes that are stepping stones,” she said. “I always tell my students, ‘You don’t have to stay with me forever. You’re a bird. You have to fly!’”