How old were you when you figured out what you wanted to be when you grew up? 5? 25? For me, it was both. When I was five years old I decided I wanted to be a “pony doctor.” While other children my age watched cartoons when they got home from school, I watched a TV show on Animal Planet called Emergency Vets, which documented the various cases seen at Alameda East Veterinary Hospital in Denver, Colorado. Discovering my name, Erin, was even in the word “vetERINarian,” I knew it was my destiny. This was no idle dream; I actively worked to make it happen. I began volunteering at a local veterinary clinic and worked my way into a paid position. In high school I participated in 4-H and the National FFA Association. I took college algebra and chemistry so when the time came to apply to college I would be ready. And in the fall of 2008 I enrolled at Utah State University with a declared major of Bioveterinary Science. I was excited to start college, but in the back of my mind I was conflicted. I struggled greatly with a prevailing notion that I should be more focused on motherhood, that
Blog
There’s nothing like being a parent to make you aware that you want something better for your family. Whether it’s because you need a higher income to support your family or because you want to show them the importance of finishing your degree, children have a way of making education a priority. There’s also nothing like being a parent to put obstacles in your educational path. Children can take so much of your time, money, and energy that you might feel like you have nothing left for anything else. The good news is that many parents have gone back to school when they have little ones at home. The challenges of getting a degree while your children are small are different than the challenges of a more traditional student, but that doesn’t mean they’re insurmountable. You may even discover that your unique situation offers some advantages. Of course, that doesn’t mean everything will be easy. Here are some tips to ease your transition into student parent life: Get inspired. No matter how smart or organized you are, it’s human nature to get discouraged occasionally. Keep your doubts at bay by reading or watching inspirational stories about people who have overcome obstacles and succeeded in spite
Vicky grew up in a small town in New Hampshire and now works as a Product Manager for Adobe at their striking new building in Utah County. She’s also an aerospace engineer by training. When she started studying engineering, she didn’t have any idea that jobs like the one at Adobe were options. It was […]
Not only are college educated women likely to live longer, they’re likely to live better. In the book, How College Affects Students, the authors summarized hundreds of studies and concluded: “The evidence is also quite clear in suggesting that education attainment has positive net impacts on dimensions of life that, in turn, increase one’s sense […]
Father’s Day is this Sunday, June 16, and we recognize and honor fathers for the role they play in shaping their children’s future. Specifically a father can play a tremendous role in helping his daughter love learning and want to attend college. In the research conducted by the Utah Women and Education Project, a young […]