When Blossom Rogers became pregnant at 16, that sadly wasn’t the worst thing that had happened to her by that time in her life. She was already a survivor of sexual molestation, and as a result, felt like an outcast, destined to never fit in, no matter where she went.

She married the father of her child soon after, and had two other kids by him. After that relationship ended, Blossom soon began dating around, and met a man who was addicted to smoking crack cocaine, but felt she could change him. While she was unprepared at the time for that challenge, the part of her personality that always wants to help people would rise to the surface, but not before she bottomed out.

Her crack addicted boyfriend routinely stole from her, and unable to cure his dependence, became addicted herself. Her life began spiraling out of control. Because of her crack addiction, she asked her mother and grandmother to take care of her children. It was around this time that jail would become a dominant theme in her life.

Her first stint in prison came after she sold drugs to an undercover cop. She was sentenced to 11 months and 29 days. Nine future arrests would net her a total of 15 years of probation, including two years on community control, a form of house arrest where she can leave only for work and also for up to two hours of time at court-approved locations. None of this would matter, though, as she alternated between rehab and jail, being clean or plagued by relapses.

On her last stint in prison, she began a conversation with a pen pal, and upon being released, moved to Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, to be with him. However, she started down the same lifestyle again. This time, though, things were a little different. In her own words, she was sick of being tired, and tired of being sick from the wear and tear that the drugs had on her body. By her own admission, though, she kept relapsing because she was trying to get clean for all the wrong reasons.

Blossom Rogers hit rock bottom when she was smoking in a crack house, and stopped to write God a letter, telling him how tired she was of this lifestyle. From there, she put the crack pipe down and entered a treatment facility, instructing them to not let her leave until she found a place to stay.

On June 4, 2012, she celebrated her eighth straight year of being sober. As part of her treatment plan, and with a lifelong desire to help others, she wrote a book which documented her life as an addict. The title referenced where she would sometimes sleep if she couldn’t find a room.

Blossom got back into church, and moved to Miami, where she would meet her eventual husband. She enrolled in ICDC College’s online Associate Degree program in Alcohol and Drug Counseling. Prior to graduating, Blossom released a sequel to her book. Currently, she is an ordained minister and first-time homebuyer, living with her husband in Alabama.

Blossom enrolled at ICDC College to make her lifelong dreams of helping others become a reality. She wanted to start a treatment center for recovering addicts. Rogers entered ICDC College to give her, as she says, “the book smarts to balance out my street smarts.” Her goal was to get as much knowledge about treatment strategies as possible, and pass on everything she’s learned to help anyone looking to sober up.

While at ICDC College, Blossom says the part she loved most was how easy it was to work with her instructors. They took the time to explain things to her, always answered her questions, and even continued to help her out after graduation. Her favorite classes were ones in which she learned how to create and operate an addiction treatment center, which gave her the direct knowledge of how to achieve her dreams.

Blossom said that if she didn’t have ICDC College, she would still be working a low-end job, with no future, and unable to make a difference in anyone’s life. Her student services advisor helped her create a resume, research treatment facilities where she could start on her career, and even gave her additional advice on how to navigate a competitive job market. Blossom was recently hired as an alcohol and drug counselor at a treatment center in Alabama.

In addition to working and moving forward on establishing a treatment center (the state of Alabama already has her tax consent form and she is applying for 501(C)3 status), she is an avid volunteer who speaks at high schools and colleges about her experiences and how she overcame such challenges.

She tells people that if you want something in life, you just have to go out and get it.

For more information about our graduation rates, the median debt of students who completed the program, and other important information, please visit our program page at
http://ww2.icdccollege.edu/icdccollege.edu/alcohol-and-drug-counseling-associate-degree

Before enrolling in ICDC College’s Homeland Security Associate Degree program, Haiden was working a dead-end job in a factory. He proclaims that having no real future, being unhappy, and not making any money led to frustration with his life’s direction. And then he saw a commercial on TV for ICDC College.

He checked out the Homeland Security Associate Degree program and realized that this would give him the necessary tools he’d need to make his dreams of working for the federal government a reality. He applied to ICDC College that day, and two days later was enrolled, but there was one obstacle: he was lacking a high school diploma.

His Student Services advisor immediately put him on the right track to achieve his high school diploma – one of the requirements to enter the associate degree program. Without having that requirement, Haiden said his life “would have been going nowhere, fast.”

“My ICDC College advisors were the most influential and helpful people I’ve ever dealt with in a school facility.”

His favorite classes were ones that had to do with technology and terrorism. After Haiden graduated, he applied for a position at an international security firm with over 100,000 employees. He accepted their offer and became a flex officer – a position reserved only for the most qualified individuals. These courses gave him the tools he needed to be able to design and implement security manuals and solutions for the firms’ clients. He also learned valuable skills on how to write reports and having a professional look for the interview.

His Associate Degree from ICDC College was not only the reason he got a job, but a career with a bright future.

“Learning how to write reports gave me the advantage (over other candidates) when applying. Without that class, I would have had no idea how to write one, but instead I passed with flying colors.”

In fact, because of his education at ICDC College, his new role even provides him the opportunity to travel the country and work on different companies’ security strategies.

Haiden is very open with what his life would be like if he had never gone to ICDC College.

“I’d still be at the factory, or more likely unemployed and trying to figure out my next move. ICDC College was the first step for me to get the ball rolling for a career.”

Before that, he said he had no idea how to get anything started or even where to begin with starting a career in his dream job.

Today, Haiden looks back on his time at ICDC College with great memories. He said his Student Services advisors were very approachable and easy to work with, and that they played a big role in helping him get his life on track. He says they taught him to be patient, and that finding the dream job that will put you on a lifelong path for success isn’t something that happens overnight, but instead happens by making smart career moves that lead you to where you aim to be.

Haiden’s bigger dream is to work for the Drug Enforcement Agency, or the US Marshals Service. While he enjoys his position at his current firm, he knows that his success there will help him to attain his larger goal in the future.

For more information about our graduation rates, the median debt of students who completed the program, and other important information, please visit our website at http://icdccollege.edu/programs/associates-degree/homeland-security-associates-degree/.

The story of Rebecca Smith is much more than a success story, it’s a miracle! Using her painful life experiences and fearless drive to better herself, this Alcohol and Drug Counselor found a purpose in life to not only help others inflicted with the same demons, but to heal the wounds she had sustained throughout her tragic life. The road to recovery and redemption was not an easy one however. Growing up, life had dealt Rebecca a raw deal. Suffering from chronic abuse and neglect from her mother, she found herself bouncing back and forth between what few friends from school she could.

“By the time I turned 12, I found my own places to live and when I could not find a place, I would stay on roof tops or in cars. I found odd-jobs and luckily did not resort to anything too awful to support myself,” said Rebecca Smith.

Living alone in Hollywood proved to be a challenge, and though her mother would periodically take her back in, she would not experience one of society’s core foundations, an honest education.

“My mother never cared about school and did not make it seem important. I did not realize how important it was till I was much older.”

At 15, with no schooling past the 6^th grade, she found herself living in a car with a 24 year old boyfriend, and becoming pregnant for the first time. When her relationship dissolved, she found herself searching for love and the family she never had. Eventually, she wound up getting in and out of multiple relationships, and had 2 more children along the way, but suffered from abuse that was all too familiar for her.

“I had to go into a battered woman’s shelter to escape the hell I was in with my children. I got into drugs heavily and I was a poor parent sober, and blamed my mother and did not take any responsibility for my life being in the state it was in.”

Determined to get her life in order, she decided to apply for the G.E.D., and work on establishing a new relationship with her mother. As difficult as the test was, with no formal education, she eventually passed with great success and went on to find a husband with whom she was happily married to for 7 years, and had a 5^th child with. As things looked like they might turn for the best, another obstacle presented itself that shook the very foundations she fought so hard to restore.

“My husband’s business went bankrupt and we lost our home and everything with it. We both gave up hope and faith that things would be ok. After nearly 7 years of being clean, we both went back to using drugs and wound up doing time in prison.”

After doing 2 years in prison and getting into a 6 month rehab program, Rebecca was able to get clean again and back on track. At the age of 36, and the mother of 5 children ranging from the ages of 6, 7, 14, 16 and 20, she made the choice of going back to school to find employment that would benefit her and her large family.

“I had always been told I was stupid and believed it for most of my life. I found out they were wrong. I decided to go to school for alcohol and drug counseling and I chose ICDC College. While in school I did really well and got straight A’s in all of my courses.”

Completing nearly 600 internship hours (double the hours required), she found herself the dream job she had always hoped to land. Sending out nearly 100 resumes, she eventually got hired by Malibu Beach Recovery Center and put her life experiences and new found education from ICDC College into full-effect. After overcoming such adversity, things only got better as the center hired her husband after he had suffered from a motorcycle accident.

“He works the overnights and I am a counselor during the days. ICDC College helped me so much, it changed my life, not only mine, but my family’s life as well! I love my life today and my family is happy and stable. I have never had this before. I have never been happier in my life. Thank you ICDC College!”

Rebecca continues to defy the odds while sharing her story with her patients. Rebecca takes great pride in giving the kind of care she received as an addict, and improving the lives her patients on a daily basis. She has shown that even in the face of what seems like an endless abyss, anyone who has the will-power can crawl out of it and greatly improve their lives for the better.

For more information about our graduation rates, the median debt of students who completed the program, and other important information, please visit our website (http://icdccollege.edu/programs/associates-degree/alcohol-drug-counseling-associates/).

The thing is success wasn’t something Marvin was unfamiliar with. In fact he had already been in the army, graduated as an Army 19 Delta, completed his E4 in 13 months, and graduated from military Boot Camp and AIT with honors. But something deep inside wasn’t right.

“I hadn’t rectified my past through all this and I was using drugs as an escape instead of dealing with my issues,” said the seven-year’ sober Guillory.

Such issues included being abused and abandoned as a child, and overcoming a divorce. He had been functional in his daily adult life, but inside he was falling apart and he was tired of feeling that way.

“I became my first patient,” said Marvin. “I studied psychology and started to realize where my problems began and how not confronting them was damaging me. I knew I wanted to help others like me, so when I was told about ICDC College’s Alcohol and Drug Counseling program, I knew it was right for me.”

He enrolled in ICDC College’s online campus and earned his Associate’s Degree. His 4.0 GPA remained untarnished even with his externship, a side job of being a chef, and his role as a father to nearly 20 children (seven of his own and 15 children that belong to other family members). Surely this kind of drive and passion for his career was why he got hired on immediately at Bernie’s Lil Women Center.

“I had been studying to get certified for so long, and I was very nervous. But my boss (Bernie) assured me that I would pass because I was so dedicated to my work and studying. She was right.”

Since then, Marvin has been actively sharing his story with patients who come to Bernie’s. He understands their past and has a unique approach to helping them with their recovery. As a counselor who is also a chef, Marvin also brings cooking techniques into the lives of his patients.

“Everything is connected,” says Marvin. Your body needs a balance of things – exercise, healthy food, and spiritual growth. What I try to do is tell my patients to try cooking at home; it’s therapeutic and keeps their mind focused while they feed their bodies good food.”

Marvin continues to lead by example as he himself exercises, eats healthy and keeps himself spiritually and occupationally balanced. As a certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor– and professional chef – Guillory took life’s sour circumstances and turned it into sweet success.

For more information about our graduation rates, the median debt of students who completed the program, and other important information, please visit our website (http://icdccollege.edu/programs/associates-degree/alcohol-drug-counseling-associates/).

When Andrew “Andy” Seber was in training for Homeland Security & Investigation at ICDC College, his dream was to be part of an elite security force in the U.S. sports industry. Little did he realize he’d soon make it into the “big leagues” by being chosen for the security team at Super Bowl XLVI – to be held in January 2012.

Seber, who was hired at S.A.F.E. Management Security, is going to be on guard before, during, and after the Super Bowl, which will be played in his home town of Indianapolis. The S.A.F.E. Management Security company’s goals align with those of Seber’s in that it recognizes the importance of maintaining the safety of the public and the NFL players.

“The fact that I had my homeland security diploma from ICDC College definitely helped me get this position,” says Seber, who graduated September 30, 2011. ICDC College’s Online Career Services Advisors assisted Seber in his job search. “How often can you go to the Super Bowl for free?” he quips about his lucky job score!

Prior to gaining new skills in Homeland Security & Investigation at ICDC College, Seber’s career focused on technical support. He has been working full-time (from home) at Avaya for 17 years, managing voicemail for customers throughout the world. “I’m tech support so if something breaks, whether it’s in India or Germany, I fix it… and I’m able to do it remotely from the company where I work in Indianapolis.”

He notes that an increasing amount of work at his tech support job allowed for some outsourcing to employees in India and Argentina, since it’s a 24-hour shop.

“I spent a month in India training people to do my job. And then I spent another month in Argentina training more people to do my job. I thought, well, I am starting to see the writing on the wall… So I picked a career that they can’t outsource… they have to do it here.”

“I picked ICDC College because it provided the program for Homeland Security, and because it was online. I could still work full-time and go to school. I didn’t have to go to a college campus.”

When he was researching ICDC College, he found that under Indiana law, his ICDC College online school diploma would be recognized by local security companies in Indianapolis. It also helped that ICDC College is a nationally accredited institution.

Seber says he is confident that homeland security careers will continue to be available over the long-haul. “If I had to move around from city to city, I know that practically every big city has an airport,” he says. “And I can do security for sporting events, like the Super Bowl.”

He is looking forward to his upcoming security work, which is part-time, so he can continue in his full-time position with Avaya. He’s excited that S.A.F.E. Management will be responsible for high-profile work, ranging from guarding access to the press boxes to handling security for the team’s equipment. “I might get to see some exciting stuff. I might get to meet some celebrities and NFL football players.”

And though this Colts fan is slightly disappointed not to see his own home team play at this year’s Superbowl, there is no doubt that with Seber’s accomplishments – a full time career, online college graduation and now another part-time position – he is the true champion.

Becker, who currently works at A.W.A.R.E. – a juvenile group home for those with behavioral and mental health challenges – recognizes the importance of programs that not only treat, but also prevent addiction. In order to achieve his goal of someday opening an alcohol and drug prevention facility, Becker decided to pursue his degree in Alcohol and Drug Counseling.

“When I looked into my state’s certification requirements, I learned that the state of Montana does not honor nationally-accredited schools and that my degree would not be valid for use in my field,” says Becker.

Under Montana law only graduates from regionally accredited institutions could apply to become licensed counselors.

Becker drafted a bill that would allow graduates from nationally accredited institutions, like ICDC College, to also apply for licensure. He took it to Cynthia Hiner, the legislator for his district, and she carried it to the House of Representatives.

Becker was so successful that his bill amended the law!

His bill amended the law. The Legislature revised the definition of “accredited college or university.” The previous definition stated that “accredited college or university” meant a regional state college. Now section 37-35-102, MCA, is amended to read: “‘Accredited college or university’ means a college or university accredited by a regional or national accrediting association for institutions of higher learning.”

This means Becker, and others in Montana who earn degrees from nationally-accredited colleges, will have their degrees honored by the state of Montana, and can therefore qualify for jobs in their field.

Governor Brian Schweitzer signed the amendment on March 25th, 2011. The law will go into effect in October.

Now Art Becker is looking forward to finishing his degree and completing his internship.

“I am just glad that I don’t have to move to another state to practice in this field. Working with kids and helping others make better decisions is more fulfilling than most jobs. It was worth the fight.”

ICDC College could not agree more.

De Shay Ward used to be addicted to drugs. He was in and out of prison, and lost his family, home, and career in the process. After his last release from prison, he immediately enrolled at ICDC College in the Alcohol and Drug Counseling program and never looked back. Ward let ICDC College change his life, and now he changes the lives of others.

As a recovering addict, De Shay Ward can relate to his clients at The Gooden Center where he works as the director of outpatient care. The Gooden Center is a rehab treatment center for men who battle addiction, and the place where Ward interned as part of his training in ICDC College’s Alcohol and Drug Counseling program.

“He had excellent education,” says Charlie Ball, Manager of Treatment at The Gooden Center. “He had good knowledge, skills, and good presentation.”

Ward’s training included Case Management, Individual, Group and Family Counseling, and Psychoactive Drugs and Pharmacology. Students are also required to finish field work to gain experience. ICDC College gave De Shay the tools to become the compassionate, “tough love” counselor his patients needed.

“I get patients mad at me sometimes, but I let them know if I see something is bothering them. I tell them, ‘Don’t get too confident with your progress, you need to go to your meetings always, or you leave yourself vulnerable,’” states Ward who says that even he himself must commit to going to recovery meetings and support groups.

Ward informs that recovery is an ongoing process, even for someone who holds such a distinguished position like himself. He maintains that keeping a balance in his life is what keeps him humble, and on track – a true leader by example.

“I genuinely love my job,” he says, “though it’s tough and sometimes draining, I know God put me here for this reason – to help others.”

De Shay Ward is the epitome of “anything is possible.” He now owns a large four bedroom home, is pastor to a Los Angeles church, and lives a healthy, sober life.

“ICDC College really did change my life,” says De Shay.

Change your life and the lives of others by becoming an Alcohol and Drug Counselor today. Call us at: (888) 237-8321.