| I earned my Bachelor's Degree from St Mary's College | | | | stronger. I wanted my children to go to college, and felt |
| of California at the age of 43. I wanted to go to | | | | that I could set a better example if I had a college |
| college after high school, but a few things got in my | | | | degree. |
| way. One thing that stopped me, in my opinion, was | | | | Time moved on and I re-married. Due to numerous |
| my high school guidance counselor. I was a pretty | | | | behavioral problems with my eldest daughter, my |
| popular girl. I was a cheerleader and a track star. I was | | | | husband suggested I take a break from working and |
| a pretty good student with at 3.1 grade point average, | | | | stay home to get my house in order. When I eventually |
| but was never guided towards college or even to take | | | | got her back on track, and my living situation was |
| the SAT's. I also worked in the high school attendance | | | | running smoothly, I became bored. I decided to take a |
| office. Everyday there were students in my | | | | couple of classes at the local community college; which |
| counselor's office. It didn't look as though they were | | | | eventually led to a certificated course. Being in a |
| working on particular things to me, often they were | | | | learning environment as an adult was an awesome |
| just visiting. Laughing and talking, etc. | | | | experience. No longer did I have the need to be the |
| It didn't dawn on me until much later that none of those | | | | popular kid. No longer was I worried about a boy either |
| students was Black. Imagine my surprise when the | | | | liking me or disliking me. I had the time, inclination and |
| SAT testing dates were announced and I had no idea | | | | skills to do well in school. I loved it. |
| what they were, or when they were. I tried to get in to | | | | After I received the certificate from the community |
| see my counselor that day, and of course, the line | | | | college, I had the education bug. I heard about an |
| was out the door, with other Black students wanting to | | | | accelerated learning degree program for adults, and |
| know the same thing. | | | | applied. I was accepted and 3 long years later, I was |
| I made an appointment with my counselor but it was | | | | walking the commencement line at St Mary's College |
| for the following week. During that week, several | | | | with a Bachelor's Degree in Business Management. |
| alternative education recruiters came to the school, | | | | During college, I needed some income, so I took a job |
| and after speaking to the representative from Heald | | | | as a hostess at a restaurant in my hometown. It was |
| College, and being told that I didn't need to take the | | | | rather embarrassing. I was a 40 year old mother of |
| SAT to enroll, that is what I did. My counselor never | | | | three and was hosting at a restaurant, which is a job |
| even responded to my request to see him. | | | | that is usually filled by much younger people. |
| My plan was to attend Heald and get a legal | | | | Occasionally I'd run into people I went to high school |
| secretarial degree, and then go to a 4-year university | | | | with and I could just hear the thoughts running through |
| to study law. I always wanted to be a trial lawyer. I | | | | their heads, "She must have no skills at all", "Poor thing!" |
| was able to get financial aid, but that did not help with | | | | My eldest daughter, even though she never said so, |
| my living expenses. After 3 months of struggling | | | | was also a little embarrassed. I worked alongside |
| financially I got a good paying job. In 1981, I was a 17 | | | | some of her classmates. But my eyes were on the |
| year old being paid $11/hour. That was good money at | | | | prize. |
| the time. School became less and less of a priority. I fell | | | | A year or so into my accelerated classes, I was told |
| behind, and decided that instead of getting the legal | | | | by my counselor that I need a job closer to the field |
| secretarial degree, I would just get the basic secretarial | | | | that I was studying. After some time, I got an entry |
| certification. I left school early, with the basic certificate, | | | | level clerical job at a very prestigious company. It didn't |
| and continued working for the next 20 years. | | | | pay much, but it was better than restaurant work. |
| I found myself working for people without degrees at | | | | After I graduated from college, I was promoted to |
| all or if they had degrees the degree was definitely not | | | | supervisor. |
| in the field they worked in. Many of my supervisors | | | | I have now been in the supervisor position for over a |
| were promoted because they had been with the | | | | year. I feel I am a great supervisor. My life experiences |
| company for a certain amount of time, not because | | | | of multiple jobs with multiple supervisors gave me the |
| they were qualified to supervise people. They were | | | | background that I needed to be the best supervisor I |
| subject matter experts. It is necessary to have subject | | | | could be. I had to learn what to do, but my past |
| matter experts on staff, but they are not always the | | | | experiences showed me what not to do. I am making |
| best people to be in charge, especially without | | | | more money than I've ever made. I feel valued and |
| extensive education and/or training in supervisory skills. | | | | appreciated. I am also humble enough not to take |
| Over time I was married and divorced and became | | | | anything for granted. I have been on both sides of the |
| the single mother of three children. With a deadbeat | | | | fence and that empathy is what makes me a |
| dad for a father, my children needed more from me | | | | successful supervisor and a successful person. |
| than I had. As the children grew, and I got older, the | | | | Its never too late to accomplish your dreams! |
| desire for a college degree became stronger and | | | | |