Ronda A.

When my husband lost his job I went to work at two part time minimum wage jobs to support our family. Feeling discouraged about myself and my situation, I started to explore what options I had to make a better life for my children.

After being out of school for almost 15 years, I went back to adult education and worked with MEOC to prepare for college. MEOC was a tremendous help with teaching me the skills necessary to be an adult college student: study skills, juggling work, college, and family life, and learning about college in general. MEOC helped me through my fears and hesitancies of becoming an adult college student.

Because of MEOC I no longer receive fuel assistance or food stamps. I also do not have to work two minimum wage jobs to barely get by. Instead, I have a full time job that I love. This job provides benefits for me and my family.

Currently, I am the student advisor at Sumner Adult Education; I have the opportunity to give back to the community of resources that helped me pursue my dreams of earning a college education.

It was because of my MEOC and college transition experience that I finally completed my college education. I believe that I am in control of my own life instead of circumstances dictating what I do with my life. I also feel I am better able to support my children in pursuing their passions and goals. I think my decision to attend college has had the biggest impact on my children. They realize that their life is meant to be lived actively not passively and that they can make their own choices about the direction they wish to go.