Telepeer

Iranian-born Santiago Canyon College student finds the support to fuel her passions

March 20, 2026

When Mahrooz Daghighi arrived at Santiago Canyon College in 2012, she was continuing an educational journey that began years earlier in her native Iran. During her time at SCC, Daghighi found a community that supported her goals of improving her English, exploring her passion for photography and art, and building a growing small business. Those achievements are now guiding her toward a new goal of earning an associate’s degree from SCC, with plans to transfer to a four-year university.

The first landing spot for Daghighi and her family when they came to the United States from Iran in 2001 was Florida. Eight years later, a move brought them west to Southern California.

Daghighi had earned a bachelor’s degree in Iran and had begun taking classes while in Florida, but she soon discovered her coursework was not transferable. Discouraged but not willing to give up, she started over and found SCC’s Division of Continuing Education to be the perfect place to strengthen her English and expand her photography skills.

Through a variety of tuition-free courses, SCC’s continuing education ESL classes helped Daghighi, whose native language is Farsi, build confidence in speaking, writing and understanding English.

“The instructors were patient and supportive, and the environment felt welcoming and encouraging,” Daghighi said. “Those classes gave me the foundation I needed not only for academics, but also for communicating in everyday life and eventually starting my own business.”

A love of art and photography has always been part of who Daghighi is, so while taking ESL classes, she also enrolled in continuing education photography and Photoshop courses. With encouragement from SCC instructors such as photographer Jon Haverstick, she gained the assurance she needed to take her skills seriously, and as a result, she launched a freelance photography business as well as an Etsy storefront (mahroozphotography.com, @mahroozphotography).

“The ESL classes helped me communicate with clients and the photography courses helped me strengthen my technical and creative skills,” Daghighi said. “With guidance from my instructor, I felt prepared to move forward professionally.”

Fast forward to 2025, and Daghighi, 54, made the decision to dedicate more time and focus to her passion for art and education. She returned to SCC, and this time, she enrolled in for-credit art classes with the goal of earning an associate’s degree in art for transfer to a four-year institution.

The shift from noncredit to credit courses has not been without challenges. Daghighi is one of the older students in her classes, which initially left her feeling uncomfortable and unsure of herself. But the experience has pushed her out of her comfort zone and made the journey meaningful.

“Over time, I realized that age does not matter when it comes to education and passion,” Daghighi said. “In fact, I believe I have become a source of motivation for some of the younger students. I show them that it is never too late to follow your dreams, start over or continue learning. That realization gave me even more confidence.”

During her first semester back last fall, Daghighi applied for an on-campus position and was hired as a student assistant in SCC’s Business Career Education Division. Her photography skills were the perfect match to help capture photos and create social media posts highlighting BCE students and events. As this is her first job working for someone else in the U.S., she is appreciative of the supportive environment and the kindness of the staff.

“It has been great working with her,” said SCC Dean of Business Career and Education Denise Foley of Daghighi. “She is very creative and responsive to requests for edits. We are very happy to have her assistance this semester.”

Daghighi’s experience at SCC has become part of her family’s educational journey, as both of her children have also attended the college. Her daughter transferred to UC Irvine and is now completing her master’s degree in psychology at Pepperdine University. Her son transferred to Cal State Long Beach and is working toward his bachelor’s degree in business.

Daghighi is grateful to her husband and her children for their constant support and encouragement throughout her journey. She hopes to turn her passion for art into a career in education, teaching creative skills to children or older adults. The Anaheim Hills resident is particularly interested in developing painting and crafting programs for seniors as a form of art therapy. She believes that art is more than just creative expression, it is a source of healing, and she hopes to one day combine that belief with service to her community. She credits the opportunities and programs at SCC for opening the doors to pursuing these goals.

“SCC has impacted my life in so many ways,” Daghighi said. “It helped me rebuild my academic path, improve my English, grow professionally and find confidence in myself again. It gave me not just education, but community. I truly love everything about this campus. It is friendly, caring, organized and filled with supportive faculty and staff. I sincerely hope to continue working at SCC in the future and remain part of this wonderful educational environment.”

Orange County Register

News Details

Iranian-born Santiago Canyon College student finds the support to fuel her passions

News

CONTACT INFO

QUICK LINKS

SERVICES

CURRENT NEWS