As a teen growing up in Slidell, Louisiana, Sophia Jenkins knew she wanted to earn her bachelor小蝌蚪APP檚 degree.
But she didn小蝌蚪APP檛 know the breadth of challenges she would face in the two decades it took her to get there, from the unknowns of being a first-generation college student to moves across the country and around the world.
小蝌蚪APP淭his has been a long journey,小蝌蚪APP she says.
A journey that culminated in 2022 when Jenkins crossed the commencement stage and earned her bachelor小蝌蚪APP檚 in Health Promotion & Wellness from the 小蝌蚪APP.
Through the Health Promotion and Wellness program, Jenkins found a level of academic support and connection she had never had before.
First Generation or Bust
Growing up, no one in Jenkins' immediate family had completed a bachelor's degree. She decided that she would be the first no matter what it took.
Adults in her life urged her to reconsider, to try a vocational school, or enlist in the military first, but Jenkins would not be swayed.
小蝌蚪APP淚 always said, 小蝌蚪APP楴o, I want to go to a four-year college小蝌蚪APP,小蝌蚪APP she says.
With help from her high school guidance counselor, she completed her applications and, in Fall 1998, enrolled at a university not far from home to become a nurse.
Then the hurdles of being a trailblazing first-generation college student began to take shape.
小蝌蚪APP淚t was very rough,小蝌蚪APP says Jenkins. 小蝌蚪APP淚 found out that my high school didn小蝌蚪APP檛 prepare me well. So, I had to take all the remedial courses.小蝌蚪APP
When she tried to communicate with her instructors, she got little help or actionable guidance.
小蝌蚪APP淚 would reach out for help, but 小蝌蚪APP I didn小蝌蚪APP檛 feel like I was safe to ask questions or like I was really being helped with anything there,小蝌蚪APP she says.
Her family 小蝌蚪APP especially her great-grandmother 小蝌蚪APP wanted to be supportive but lacked the context to offer advice.
小蝌蚪APP淚 had no one letting me know 小蝌蚪APP業t小蝌蚪APP檚 OK. You小蝌蚪APP檙e just having a bad semester. It小蝌蚪APP檚 not the end of the world小蝌蚪APP,小蝌蚪APP she says. 小蝌蚪APP淚 was still determined to stay in school, but I was discouraged and confused.小蝌蚪APP
After a couple cycles of stops and starts, Jenkins decided to try a new approach and rebuild her GPA, so she transferred to a community college where she earned an associate degree in liberal arts.
Completing her associate program fortified Jenkins小蝌蚪APP confidence and reaffirmed she could succeed in higher education.
Reaffirmed, Reinvigorated, Still Trying
Jenkins still had her eyes set on obtaining a bachelor小蝌蚪APP檚 degree, preferably one that could lead to a career in health.
小蝌蚪APP淚 was very determined. It was something I wanted to do,小蝌蚪APP she says. 小蝌蚪APP淚 also felt like I owed it to my great-grandma to finish my degree because she had helped me so much financially and being motivational and supportive.小蝌蚪APP
In 2016, Jenkins and her husband, John Tobias, were married. As an active member of the U.S. Army, Tobias could be stationed 小蝌蚪APP or re-stationed 小蝌蚪APP anywhere in the world.
Jenkins realized she would need to find an online degree program and commit to making it work.
小蝌蚪APP淚 was nervous that it would be just me teaching myself. And nervous that, you know, you小蝌蚪APP檙e taking courses, but can you remember anything from the lessons?小蝌蚪APP says Jenkins. 小蝌蚪APP淎nd I didn小蝌蚪APP檛 want it to be like I was doing something and getting credits, but not actually learning.小蝌蚪APP
She found the online Health Promotion & Wellness program while researching programs offered by Louisiana schools and applied, enrolling in 2017. Her concerns about online learning were soon eased.
When Jenkins had a question or felt unsure of how she approached an assignment, her instructors met her drive in-kind.
"I felt like more than a student. I felt like each professor I had cared," she says.
"Having Lisa LeBlanc as my advisor, I've told her at every step of the way 'I'm so grateful for you,' and 'I've just had such a great experience with the school and online learning.小蝌蚪APP"
Gaining new skills
Jenkins had finally found a program that ignited her curiosity. To succeed, she had to take responsibility for her study methods and habits.
"I've had to be absolutely organized. I made spreadsheets during the semester," she says, for assignments, deadlines, and volunteer hours logged with the American Red Cross near their current base in Germany.
She realized she's hands-on with her studies, so she would print out class materials to give herself physical tools.
"As I would go along, I could cross out on the calendar 'This assignment is done,小蝌蚪APP" and then I would eliminate the hardcopy that was a reminder and that let me see, 'OK, I did this,' and I could feel a little less stressed,小蝌蚪APP" she says.
One last hurdle
Jenkins and her husband were posted in Hawaii when the COVID-19 pandemic began. Along with the stress everyone was feeling, Jenkins' grandmother back in Slidell had fallen ill, so she went home to help out for a couple of months.
"I reached out then to Lisa LeBlanc and she understood the situation, but at that point I was also thinking 'I need to sit out and get my head together'," says Jenkins. "I felt like maybe I just have to be OK with not being a college graduate."
Before despair could get a stronger foothold, her husband stepped in.
"He said 'Look at ALL you've been through and that you've battled against, your determination, and now you're just done?'" says Jenkins. "I tried to say, 'Yeah, well, I'm just tired,' or when I'd complain about paying for school, he would say 'Look, we just need to get you across the finish line.'"
And they did.
Jenkins was able to travel to the 小蝌蚪APP from their home in Wiesbaden, Germany, to attend Fall 2022 Commencement.
Jenkins will continue working with the Red Cross while watching for career opportunities that will allow her to use her skills in community health education in social service settings.