Hello everyone! I am so excited to be a part of the eLearners team! I am so excited to be writing for Ashford University, even though I am filling Cajun’s shoes, which I do not think is possible! I do have a passion for education and continuing on with my education, despite what obstacles may come in your way, and believe me, I’ve had a few!
So here is a bit about me. I just turned 24 years old. I have two beautiful girls, Jasmine, who is 2 years old, and Tatyana, who just turned 1. I am a veteran of the United States Navy. My husband is still active duty Navy and is stationed as a recruiter in Hartford, Connecticut. Currently, I am a stay at home mother, and even though I love the fact that I get to watch my children grow and see their every move, I am also excited about completing my degree and starting my career so I can help provide for my family and help give my children the life that I never had.
I did not have a great upbringing as a child. Neither of my parents graduated high school nor went to college. My father was an Ironworker his whole life and my mother a stay at home. They had their issues that took precedent over me and my siblings. I always vowed to myself that I would never live that way. The problems that I had growing up pushed me to get my education and make something of myself. And I did just that.
During my junior year of high school, we had a career fair, where there were many colleges in attendance. I was pretty down because I knew that I had no money to go to college. Then I saw a really nice booth set up with some Navy recruiters next to. My first thought was “How cute are those uniforms!” after talking for a while, I found out some great opportunities thatI could use for college, and after assuring me that I did not have to be an Olympic swimmer to join, I decided to set up a meeting with them, and the rest is history. I was given the opportunity to take an extra class after school my senior year and graduate a semester early, so that is what I did. My last day of high school was Jan. 30, 2003, and I was in boot camp Feb. 4, 2003 at the age of 17.
So why did I start online education? Well, it was always the only option for me! Come back tomorrow to find out how I started my education while I was in the Navy and what led me to the best decision I have made, attending Ashford University!