Carrie McClain A.A. Degree/ University Transfer Florida Community College, Class of 1998

Finding a Future

Carrie McClain
Florida Community College, Class of 1998

Carrie McClain will be the first to tell you that her first steps on the road to higher education took her in the wrong direction. At 17 years old, she started school at a large university. She uses the words train wreck to describe the experience. Fortunately, her father knew there was a better place to start — Florida Community College. Today, as a successful attorney, Carrie knows it was the right move.

“I don’t think people understand how lucky we are to have the opportunities offered by FCCJ,” she said. “At a major university, you can get lost. At FCCJ, you don’t.”

Born and raised in Jacksonville, Carrie is now a staff attorney for the Fourth Judicial Circuit, working for judges in Clay, Nassau and Duval Counties. After completing her associate in arts (A.A.) degree in Mass Communications at FCCJ, she went on to the University of North Florida and Florida Coastal School of Law.

When she started at FCCJ, Carrie had no idea what she wanted to do with the rest of her life. Thanks to College counselors and the breadth of courses available, she soon found out.

“FCCJ was a good starting point because if you don’t know what you want to do, they offer so many different things,” Carrie said. “You can take as many classes as you want. You can try everything out, which is what I did. I tried many different subjects before I really knew what I wanted to do.”

Among the many things she found rewarding at FCCJ were the class sizes. “I loved the small classes. I never felt lost. I never felt like I was just a number. I really felt a one-on-one connection with my professors.”

Today, Carrie’s goal is to go into private legal practice, putting a strong emphasis on pro bono work and on giving others the opportunities she has enjoyed. She would also like to do some adjunct teaching at FCCJ. “I’d love to help give back to FCCJ for everything it’s done for me in helping guide my success,” she said.

Perhaps the most important thing Carrie learned at FCCJ is confidence. “At FCCJ, there were many times that I didn’t succeed. But the times I did succeed helped guide me to prosper and gave me a great deal of confidence. I think confidence is the most important thing for anyone to gain. And FCCJ gave me that opportunity.”

In short, she says, “Never give up on your goals.” Carrie has met many of hers and no doubt will meet many more.