Honors Alumna Meredith Hamlett Reflects on Path to Teaching
Publish Date: Oct. 30, 2025

When 海角直播 alumna-Meredith Hamlett-was in high school, she never imagined that she would graduate with a master鈥檚 degree, a teaching credential, and a classroom of her own.
鈥淲hen I think about where I am now, I know I would not have made it here without 海角直播 Hills College,鈥 Hamlett said. 鈥満=侵辈 carried me through the beginning of my educational journey and gave me the foundation to keep moving forward.鈥
Hamlett enrolled at 海角直播 directly after high school, uncertain which
career path she wanted to pursue. Over the next three years, she explored various
academic interests before deciding to major in associate degree programs: sociology,
anthropology, and history. She graduated with honors and transferred to California
State University, San Bernardino, to complete a bachelor鈥檚 degree in history.
Hamlett credits 海角直播鈥檚 Honors Program for building her confidence and academic
discipline. 鈥淭he Honors Program in particular shaped me into someone who could set
goals, stay disciplined, and believe I was capable of more,鈥 she said. 鈥淭he extra
rigor of the coursework pushed me to write, research, and present at a higher level,
which gave me the confidence to take on everything that came after.鈥
The program also helped her build lasting professional relationships. 鈥淭hose relationships opened doors for letters of recommendation, references for teaching programs, and a network I knew I could return to for guidance,鈥 Hamlett added.
After earning her bachelor鈥檚 degree, Hamlett was accepted into UC Riverside鈥檚 combined teaching credential and master鈥檚 in education program. A significant factor in her decision was the Native American Opportunity Plan, which provides free tuition for Native American students across UC campuses. 鈥淚t was truly life-changing to walk out of my master鈥檚 program with no student debt,鈥 she said.
Today, Hamlett teaches history at Moreno Valley High School, where she encourages
her students to consider community college as a strong and affordable starting point.
She exclaimed, 鈥満=侵辈, and especially the Honors Program, challenged me, supported
me, and showed me that I was capable of more than I ever thought,鈥 she said.
Learn more about the College Honors Institute.
