2023 Grad Spotlight: Grace Rinaldo

For Grace Rinaldo, a senior at Lincoln Charter School, the College Now program at Gaston College presented many opportunities. “It allowed me to receive high school and college credits simultaneously,” she said, “and it also allowed me to save thousands of dollars and graduate high school with an associate degree. The best part of my College Now experience was getting to see how a college course is run in preparation for a four-year college.” 

Grace will graduate from Gaston College on May 12 with an Associate of Arts degree and from Lincoln Charter School on May 26. She will start attending Montreat College in fall 2023 and will major in Business Marketing. She plans to get an MBA after earning her bachelor’s degree. Her career goal is “to work with start-up companies to help them build their brand rather than working in a large, established company.” 

The College Now program at Gaston College gave Grace the flexibility to take classes that fit with her schedule. “Yes, each class has set due dates, but you can choose when and where to do your assignments, tests, quizzes, etc.,” she said. “I am an extremely busy student with a job, practicing basketball, and having a social life, but I can manage much more easily with all my Gaston classes being online.”