Donna Perry
Obtaining my degree is of paramount importance to me, more so now than ever before.
Six months ago my life was turned upside down when my husband of twenty-four years died. We have five children and he was the sole provider for our family. The financial consequences of his death are monumental to say the least. I no longer have income, medical, dental, vision, nor prescription benefits. I have always said that "everything that happens in life is either a lesson or a test" and his passing was both to me. The test, is how will I make it now without my husband, my provider, my protector, my friend? The lesson, is that every individual should be capable of providing for themselves. As much as I enjoyed staying at home with my children for many years, then working part-time, I needed a college education. If I had already acquired that degree, I would not be in the terrible situation that I am in now. This must change!
My life goals are just that, to have a life. At the present time, I barely exist but, I have just completed my first week of online classes at Ashford University and I am starting to feel the benefits. My dream of a college education, once dead and buried has been resurrected! For the first time in six months I feel hope, I feel that I will emerge from my dark cave into glorious light.
I want to live, I want to experience wonderful things, I want to descend the steps of the Pyramids in Egypt, and I want to take a dip in the Jordan River. I want to resume volunteering with children in foster care and operating my family literacy book club. I want to live and most of all I want to feel alive! My educational goals are to obtain my Bachelor's Degree in Psychology from Ashford University, my Master of Science in Psychology-Clinical Psychology from Capella University, and my Ph.D. in Psychology-Counseling Psychology (licensure) from Walden University. An excellent education is the foundation for a rewarding career, but as I researched the profession, I found it was just as important if not more important, where you obtained your education. It is crucial to me that I attend the best schools. I strive to be an exceptional student and I want my hard work and dedication to be rewarded by a degree from institutions, whose reputations are impressive in the field of Psychology.
My career goals are to open a center with my daughter Noelle, who is attending college and will become a Psychiatrist, and my sister Monique who has a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology. Our center will provide various psychological services and I will specialize in providing services to children in foster care, young adults transitioning from foster care to emancipation, and grief counseling. These three services are close to my heart because I have worked with this population for years through employment and volunteerism. They are the most vulnerable, yet abused segment of society. I absolutely love these children and have helped many. As heartbreaking as the situation is when you gain their trust, nothing is more rewarding. I will never let them down nor destroy that trust. In fact that is exactly how I lost my last job!
I was employed in an afterschool program working with some children that were in foster care. Most of them had learning disabilities, or differences I prefer to call them, and none were reading on grade level. Through love, respect, discipline and consistency, I developed a good rapport with my group. They knew that if Mrs. Perry said something, she was going to keep her word. We often faced challenges but my method was pivotal in transforming some of them.
On one Thursday my supervisor came to the school, and informed me that Friday (yes the next day) was my last day working at that site. One little boy said "Mrs. Perry you said you were going to be here all year and give us a party when school ends." Without hesitation I said "Does Mrs. Perry always keep her word? Can you trust Mrs. Perry?" They all shouted "yeah" and I told my supervisor "I quit." The children jumped for joy, my supervisor was shocked and I asked myself "what is your husband going to say?" My husband picked me up from work as usual on his way home from work. I explained the situation to my husband,told him that I had quit, but that I would do whatever was best for our family. He looked over at me and beamed his big beautiful smile and asked "since when could I tell you what to do?" and we both laughed.
So what did I do? I officially resigned, volunteered at the school every day, then at the end of the year I threw them the best party ever. I kept my word! Education will ultimately enable me to achieve my goals because it is the mechanism that will allow me to put my thoughts and dreams into action. People often seek my advice, even strangers. I always listen and respond, empathizing and encouraging them. I know that I am in the correct field and I love it. But the only guidance I can give someone now is from a spiritual and common sense perspective. Licensure will lend credence to everything I say to them, and it is their safeguard. My credentials will give me the opportunity to be employed at a higher wage and will allow me to provide for my children. This will afford me the chance to go and experience all of the wonderful places that I desire to visit. Education will provide me with the financial means to help others by becoming a foster mom. I want to feel that I have accomplished something great in my life.
Online education is not only the right choice for me, it is the only choice for me. In the past I have made several attempts to acquire a college education. Some of my obstacles have been lack of money, lack of transportation, and the most recent one was the school environment. Now, I know that I have been out of school for a very long time, but school or at least the students have undergone a drastic change! They were not only talking during lecture, but they were using profanity, talking on cell phones, texting, eating, sleeping, you name it they were probably doing it. I have never seen such a display of disrespect, rudeness and just downright disregard ever and I didn't want to deal with that on a daily basis. Going to school online not only eliminates undesirable behavior, it eliminates uncomfortable situations such as standing in front of the class giving speeches, working in groups, and asking for help. You can do all of these things without being embarrassed. It gives you time to have some success, figure things out and build up your self-esteem. When we go out into the real world, we will step out with boldness and confidence. Our online education will also be beneficial because it will make us computer efficient.
My children have always considered me their role model concerning my emotional intelligence (a term I learned in class). In addition to all that I have been through I suffer from Diabetes and Fibromyalgia. I am usually experiencing some sort of pain or illness throughout each day.
Now, I strive to be their role model in education. My husband and I instilled in them the importance of education, the rewards possible by having one, and the consequences of not obtaining one. I want to show them that not only can I talk-the-talk but I can surely walk-the-walk. I want to demonstrate that no matter how many obstacles, disappointments and hardships are forced upon you that a college education is still obtainable.
Even though I am 50 years old, recently widowed, unemployed, no home, unable to provide for my children, we are split up physically between relatives, (yet bound by our love). Even though most days I wake up in a despair that is all encompassing and the weight in my heart could crush boulders! My children don't even know they would be shocked to discover what I endure each day. Because I put on a happy face for them, I go through the motions for them, I support them, I encourage them, I console them, and I exist for them. I have lived my whole adult life putting everybody else first. All of my endeavors have been for someone else's benefit. Can't just this one little point in time be for me? I am a working mother, probably more so than many. I can do this, I must do this, and I will do this, because I AM ME! Thank you for your time and consideration.