As a mother with four children in my house, I am constantly preparing a “to-do list” and setting personal goals. The end of summer brings preparation for the upcoming school year, which often includes sports and extra-curricular activities my children enjoy.
Preparation for the new school year always brings up the conversation of what each of my children wish to pursue after they graduate high school. These discussions include what colleges and organizations look for in collegiate candidates for scholarships and admissions. I stress the importance of good grades, being a well-rounded student who is involved in sports and clubs and also volunteering within the community.
My husband is an active duty service member, who was in a unit with a high “op tempo,” so my professional interests, which included furthering my education past high school, were not high on my priority list.
My duty was to my family, as my husband’s duty was to our country.
Our family moved from Hawaii to Virginia, in 2015. This move allowed me to focus on the “retirement” stage of our family’s future, as my husband had just hit his 16 year mark in the military. Have you ever asked your children, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” I found myself asking this question to myself!
I was a 34-year-old military spouse and mother who had had plenty of amazing jobs, where I was constantly learning, but was never able to obtain the positions I really wanted because I did not hold a college degree. My husband and I have always talked about opening our own business and providing an outreach program to members within the community. I decided to look into business degrees, as this seemed to make the most sense for our future goals and might land me a great job while pursuing a college education.