The College of Southern Nevada honored some of its most outstanding students Friday night.
During this annual ceremony from each department at the college is recognized. And in addition to their academic achievements all of the winners have overcome obstacles and beaten the odds to pursue their education.
The road to success is not always a straight line and sometimes you have to flip the script. And no one knows that better than Lauryn Guerrissi and the other honorees.
"You really have to disrupt your whole entire life to come back to school, " said Lauryn Guerrissi.
Guerrissi was a typical coed attending college right after graduating high school.
"I had no idea what I was doing so I failed out for a couple of semesters," Guerrissi said.
She dropped out and began working as a bartender.
"I was comfortable, working a good job, nice place to live and all that stuff."
But she got out of her comfort zone and enrolled in classes.
"I found my path here," she said. "I found out that I really like chemistry and math and physics and succeeded really well at CSN."
As a Regents Scholar she gets a $5,000 scholarship.
Diano Moreno is being honored by the School of Business Administration.
"I'm a full-time mother. Full-time employee. Full-time daughter," Moreno said.
Like Guerrissi she got a late start pursuing her dream, but said it was worth it.
"Hard work and perseverance does pay off," she said.
