INA, Ill. (July 30, 2026) — Rend Lake College student Bella Morgan (Pinckneyville) is fast-tracking her path to a career in health care after earning her Associate of Arts degree in just one year.
With a plethora of Pinckneyville Community High School dual credit courses in her pocket, Morgan arrived at RLC with a head start that helped ease her transition into full-time college academics.
“Completing dual credit classes at PCHS gave me a huge head start by helping me get comfortable with college-level expectations and workload early on,” Morgan said. “It made the transition to full-time college life much smoother.”
For Morgan, seeing her high school prep pay off with a college degree in just 12 months made the extra effort worth it.
"It felt incredible and deeply rewarding to check that milestone off my list so early," she said. "It was proof that all the hard work and dual credit classes paid off. It gave me a lot of confidence moving forward."
Bella Morgan used the dual credit program to fast-track college and earn her Rend Lake College diploma in May of 2026. That's a full year earlier than the traditional path.
Achieving her degree in a single year required balancing a demanding academic workload alongside her commitments as a student athlete.
“Balancing academics and college volleyball required serious time management and dedication,” Morgan said. “It taught me how to stay organized, prioritize tasks, and lean on my teammates and coaches when things got busy.”
Throughout her time on campus, Morgan found a strong support system from faculty and staff members who helped her navigate the dual demands of athletics and academics.
“My professors, coaches, and advisors have all been incredibly supportive,” she said. “They understood the unique challenges of being a student athlete and always encouraged me to push forward academically and personally.”
Morgan said balancing a rigorous academic and athletic schedule was well worth it.
Rather than stopping after completing her degree, Morgan decided to stay at RLC for the Fall 2026 semester to pursue a Phlebotomy certificate, driven by her desire to gain direct clinical experience.
“I wanted to get hands-on clinical experience right away,” she said. “Phlebotomy caught my interest because it’s a direct, fast-paced way to help patients and get a solid foundation in the medical field.”
Looking ahead after completing her certificate, Morgan plans to enter a clinical setting to gain experience before returning to school to further her education in nursing or radiology.
“I’m very grateful for the community at RLC, my teammates, and everyone who has supported me along this journey,” she said. “I have met so many role models and people who have been incredibly helpful in my first year at RLC."
Looking to find a field you're passionate about like Bella? Wondering where a program at RLC could take you? Click here to learn more about more than 100 degree and certificate options at RLC, or schedule time with our Career Services Specialist.
