The speaker had a difficult childhood and dropped out of high school. As a young single parent struggling financially, they realized they needed to change their path. They earned a GED and attended proprietary medical assistant programs, taking on significant student loan debt. Feeling unfulfilled, they enrolled at Weber State University, despite imposter syndrome and lacking basic academic skills. They worked extremely hard, earned a high GPA, and became involved in student organizations. The experience sparked a desire to study social work and do international study. The speaker encourages others facing doubts or predetermined paths to take the first step towards writing their own story.

1. My path here today, like many of yours, was more bumpsthan smooth stretches. Straight from the womb
I had health problems, unstable family dynamics, and financial hardships. In school I immediately fell
behind. I stoppedattendingfulltime in secondgrade, and by middle schoolI was absent more daysthan
not. So, when I officially dropped out at 16, I doubt anyone even noticed the difference.
I quickly became an unfortunate cliché. By 18 I was a full-time single parent with a fast food job. As I held
my infant son while digging through couch cushions for enough change to make ends meet, I realized
that I neededto search for a different kind of change. I ripped up the script that is all too often handed
to minorities, those in povertyand youngparents. I wantedto write my ownstory; onethat instead ended
with, “they lived happily ever after”.
I wanted my son and I to thrive, not just survive. I didn’t know where I was going, but I knew the path
was education. After struggling through months of dedicatedstudying,with a bit of divine intervention I
got my GED. Next came college, but I didn’t know many who had gone that route, and had no idea
where to start. I became a medical assistant through one of those proprietary schools that air as
infomercials on daytime TV, and by 22 had racked up crushing amounts of student loans, which I’m still
trying to figure out how I’ll pay.
I then had a better job but not a career. Full of motivation and mounting questions, I knew that the
answers were on Weber’scampus. So, with sweaty palms, a lump in my throat, and a definite feeling of
imposter’s syndrome I took my first step as a Wildcat.
I thought I’d study English, math, and the other subjects that come with general education, but even
those were terrifying. I’d never heard of MLA formatting or citations. I doubt I’d ever read a 10 page
paper, let alone written one; and college math felt impossible, since I only knew basic arithmetic.
So, I registeredfor developmental classes, figuring effort would equateto success. I arrived early, stayed
late, worked with professors, gave it my all, and still failed the math class. But the professors were so
incredibly supportive that I knew I’d have good coachesin my corner. Sure enough, I’ve kept over a 3.5
GPA through all of my classes, including an odd hybrid math/dance class wherewe contorted our bodies
into awkward geometric positions.
I didn’t, however, anticipate how much I’d learn about community, the world, and my place in all of it.
Not surprisingly, I’m on the board for the Black Scholars United, where I’ve met some truly inspirational
role models. Less predictably, I found myself as one of the faces of Women’s and Gender Studies too. I
was even fortunate enough to fulfil a lifelong dream by getting funded to do a study abroad in
Mozambique, which sparked my desire to go into Social Work.
Whether this is the first step to a PhD or a degree you’veworkedon for decadeslet’s celebrate ourselves,
we’ve all come a long way. Take a second to congratulate the person beside you, and take out your
phone, after the ceremony, and text a quick thanks to all the people who made it possible.
If you’ve ever doubted the potential within you, or the power you can have on your own life, take the
first step. I know it’s terrifying, trust me. But the time will pass and you’llget older either way. So, why not
throw out the predetermined script that you’vebeen handed and writeyourown happily everafter story?