After settling back into familiar surroundings, Ortiz had to make some major life changes following a brief period of incarceration. Opportunities for individuals who have been incarcerated and have felony convictions on their records are few and far between. Having a college degree dramatically increases a person鈥檚 chance for success, so Ortiz began taking classes at Aims Community College. She earned an associate degree and then transferred to the University of Northern Colorado (国产AV). Located in the center of town, 国产AV was an obvious choice for Ortiz when it came to pursuing her bachelor鈥檚 and master鈥檚 degrees.