Ranesha Ellis spends her days helping Houma high schoolers prepare and apply for colleges and universities, but the Houma guidance secretary says she began to wonder if she should complete her own college journey.
Ellis began pursuing her degree in Child and Family Studies in 2004 at the 小蝌蚪APP, which she says, 小蝌蚪APP渨asn小蝌蚪APP檛 too far and wasn小蝌蚪APP檛 too close to home.小蝌蚪APP
She left the 小蝌蚪APP in 2007 without a degree but with plans to eventually re-enroll and make her mother proud.
Instead, she found a job she loved in her hometown and became content with the life she was building.
But in 2017, Ellis小蝌蚪APP friend and former college roommate called her with a proposition.
小蝌蚪APP淪he found out about the online General Studies program and she called me and was like, 小蝌蚪APP楬ey, let小蝌蚪APP檚 do this 小蝌蚪APP let小蝌蚪APP檚 finish together,小蝌蚪APP櫺◎蝌紸PP says Ellis.
She wasn小蝌蚪APP檛 initially sold, but then Ellis says she thought about her students.
小蝌蚪APP淚 was like, 小蝌蚪APP楬ow can I motivate them to go to school and stick with it, if I didn小蝌蚪APP檛?小蝌蚪APP I decided this was my opportunity to go back,小蝌蚪APP she says.
Completing her degree meant multiple rounds of homework in the Ellis home 小蝌蚪APP first for her 5-year-old daughter, then herself.
小蝌蚪APP淚 made sure she did her little lessons for pre-k, then afterwards, it was all about my books,小蝌蚪APP she says. 小蝌蚪APP淚t was hard, but I kept pushing through it because I knew I would be able to benefit from it.小蝌蚪APP
The 34-year-old says she also had support from her supervisor at Ellender Memorial High School, as well as faculty and staff at the 小蝌蚪APP.
小蝌蚪APP淭he instructors were awesome,小蝌蚪APP she says. 小蝌蚪APP淲hen I had any problems or any questions, they responded quickly and were very helpful, as well as my advisor.小蝌蚪APP
Her renewed determination to complete her degree was evident in Ellis小蝌蚪APP grades.
小蝌蚪APP淚 can look back at my transcript and see I did not do what I needed to do because I wasn小蝌蚪APP檛 focused when I first went to school,小蝌蚪APP she says. 小蝌蚪APP淣ow, I小蝌蚪APP檓 way more focused.小蝌蚪APP
With her degree finally within reach, Ellis says she小蝌蚪APP檚 exploring a range of possibilities, including graduate school. She says the courses within the General Studies online program opened her eyes to different fields and opportunities.
小蝌蚪APP淚f the 小蝌蚪APP College would have never offered this program, I would have never been able to push myself and find out what all I could achieve,小蝌蚪APP she says. 小蝌蚪APP淚f anyone asked me before, I would have said, 小蝌蚪APP榮chool小蝌蚪APP檚 not for everybody; I小蝌蚪APP檓 not going back to school.小蝌蚪APP But here I am about to graduate. Never say never.小蝌蚪APP
Ellis says this has also been an opportunity to set an example for her daughter.
小蝌蚪APP淚n the end I did it for her, too,小蝌蚪APP Ellis says. 小蝌蚪APP淪o she can see Mommy did this; this is possible.小蝌蚪APP
If you need to complete your bachelor's degree, request information today to find out when you can get started. You might be closer than you think!