NaturallyACT 
Let’s start from the beginning I graduated High School in 2001 after being told by multiple teachers that I would never earn my diploma let alone a degree. So, I’ve I had no plans to attend a college then I received multiple scholarships that covered my first year at a Community College. After two years of Community College I was preparing to attend an Art School in Georgia then my mom was diagnosed with MS so I didn’t feel comfortable moving away!
Fast forward to 2007 I moved to Grand Rapids to attend Cornerstone University. I was working two part-time jobs (45 hours a week) and taking 16 credit hours. At one point I had a 3.4 GPA this is significant because I was told that I would never be successful in college because I’m dyslexic.
I remember being in the 9th grade in front of my English class a teacher told me to drop out of high school get pregnant and go on welfare because I would never make it in the real world. My amazing mother’s removed me the school, and I connected with Mrs. Tami Wilburn who served as my advisor. She not only helped me go from “special Ed class” to mainstream classes, but she also helped me learn how to learn! Thank you, Mrs. Wilburn, for all you did for me in High School.
My last semester at Cornerstone was the worst! I was doing two internships, working like crazy and taking a theology course. I was scheduled to take two summer classes that would have allowed me to walk in the May 2012 commencement ceremony. Shortly after graduation, I learned that I failed my classes! I gave up, I just didn’t have it in me to go back in the fall. So, I took an unintentional 5-year break! I kept saying I would go back and just didn’t want to deal with failure again…
In 2016 I got a new job that was contingent upon me finishing my degree. I felt like it was Gods way of saying, ‘finish what you started’! I returned to school to retake my last 3 classes. Praise God I passed theology then failed my math class for the 4th time. Had a withdrawal from my stats class to avoid failing again. In 2017 I retook both the math class and statistics and passed with C+ I was praying for a D so God really came through! Although my GPA was not what I wanted to be nor did I finish on time but I finished what I started!!
This is just a part of my story! I can finally say I completed my undergraduate degree. Earning a Bachelor of Science in Journalism: Visual Communication; its been a long, exciting, and at times very very frustrating journey. I want to encourage you to keep fighting the good fight, finish the race, and kept the faith.
Even as I write this post I think of all the times that I failed, some were public failures somewhere private and I’m sure I will experience failure in the future, yet, that doesn’t mean give up. I encourage you to use it as an opportunity to learn, cry if you have to, seek out help, and try again I’m telling you it’s totally worth it!
Words can’t express how thankful I am for each and every person who encouraged me throughout the journey whether it was asking how homework was going, offering to help, or just reminding me that I simply can finish what I started!
I WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU:
☆ What goal do you what to complete and what is your plan?
☆ Do you have a degree? If yes what it’s it in? If no do you what one?
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