Sierra Graham was scrolling through TikTok when she came across a video posted by a Year Up United student.
“I had never heard of Year Up United,” Sierra said, “but I wanted to learn more after watching the video where the student was talking about their career development experience in the program.”
During COVID, Sierra worked in healthcare, and later transitioned to a call center role. She was always ambitious and had even been accepted into a nursing program but was unable to complete her degree due to other obligations.
As a mother, she wanted stability in her career, not only for herself, but for her six-year-old daughter. When she learned more about Year Up United’s program offerings, including tuition-free job training and internship opportunities, she decided to apply. Once she was accepted to the program in the Wilmington market, she started the Learning and Development phase in the Business Career Pathway, with an interest in investment and financial operations.
Year Up United’s Student Services team was instrumental in helping Sierra succeed in the program. They helped her balance her family obligations with her new schedule, taking into account both her own commute and her daughter’s school drop-off time. Additionally, the Student Services team helped her obtain professional clothing that she would need once she started her internship.
In the Business Career Pathway, Sierra built a strong foundation in finance and economics through accelerated classes, while also developing essential career-readiness skills such as networking and communication. These experiences strengthened her confidence and prepared her for her internship at WSFS Bank.
“I found that I can be professional while still being my authentic self,” Sierra shared about her time at WSFS Bank.
Hired full-time at WSFS Bank as a Bankcard Dispute Specialist after her internship completion in 2025, she credits much of her continued success to her employer’s culture and the supportive colleagues and managers who have poured positivity and encouragement into her growth. One milestone she is especially proud of is helping to train a new Year Up United intern who recently joined WSFS Bank.
Sierra continues to thrive in her current role and is eager to keep growing within the industry, with aspirations of stepping into a leadership position in the future. While she is still exploring her long-term professional path and weighing which direction to take her career, she is considering returning to school to pursue a degree in finance.
When reflecting on the most important takeaway of her Year Up United experience, Sierra shared, “I’m able to set a strong example for my daughter and show her that she can be whatever she wants to be and achieve anything she sets her mind to. Year Up United has truly helped provide stability for my family.”
Sierra is just one of the 35,000+ of Year Up United graduates ready to grow their professional careers.