 |
"The 'Non-Traditional' Life"
Sara Keene, Heartland Community College
2017 Paul Simon Student Essay Contest Honorable Mention
|
|
|
Upon graduating high school, which seems like eons ago, I made the naïve decision to not pursue a college education. I thought I had my future
all figured out. I planned to work hard, get promoted, and live an amazing life. I soon realized life does not work that way. Getting married,
paying rent, buying groceries, and making car payments quickly drained the bank account.
|
Southeastern Illinois College student Callie Smith (right) accepts her $500 Paul Simon Student Essay Contest scholarship
from ICCTA secretary Kathy Spears.
|
As newlyweds, we added a baby to the mix, and a second soon followed. Before I knew it, my dream of
becoming a successful career woman was plummeting into a depressing reality of bankruptcy, divorce,
and multiple dead-end jobs.
As a single mom of two young daughters, I tried to stay afloat by working multiple part-time jobs and living with my parents, but it became clear
that a college degree was the key to a successful future. When I remarried, we moved to Bloomington in 2011 so that my husband could finish his
teaching certification. The day he was offered a job as a public school teacher, I realized that my time had finally arrived. Last spring,
I enrolled at Heartland Community College with a handful of credit hours and absolutely no idea of what I wanted to do with my life.
I began my new journey full throttle -- I was a full-time student, mother of two tween girls, and working part-time job as a lunchroom monitor
at the girls' elementary school. My first semester at Heartland was a balancing act between learning the best ways to be a successful student,
while also being a supportive mother, spouse, and valued employee. The most frequent question I faced as a Heartland student should have been
the easiest to answer -- "What is your major?" With the help of Career Services, I discovered that my passions included solving problems and
working with nature. After much deliberation, I realized I wanted to find solutions to problems with nature, so I decided to pursue a bachelor's
degree in renewable energy.
Last semester, while juggling 10 credit hours, my obligations as a wife and mother, and part-time employment, I applied for admission to
Illinois State University. With the help of Heartland's ISU transfer representative, I was accepted into both ISU and the renewable energy
program on the same day.
Balancing college and a fully developed adult life is difficult. Navigating the never-ending role conflict faced by non-traditional students
who work and raise children has led to countless late nights studying and completing various academic projects. On a typical weekend,
I simultaneously complete my math homework while helping both of my daughters with their math assignments. What makes this such a positive
and rewarding experience is that I am both making progress towards my degree completion and demonstrating to my children the value and importance
of a college education.
Heartland Community College has changed my life because it has helped me begin my life. I, Sara Keene, a 35-year-old wife and mother, am about
to graduate from Heartland Community College!
Sara Keene received a $250 scholarship for her winning essay, donated by the Illinois Community College System
Foundation. For additional information on the Paul Simon Student Essay Contest, please contact
Kim Villanueva at 1-800-454-2282, ext. 1.
Illinois Community College Trustees Association
401 E. Capitol Ave., Suite 200
Springfield, IL 62701-1711
217-528-2858 (phone)
217-528-8662 (fax)
ICCTA@communitycolleges.org (e-mail)
http://www.communitycolleges.org |
| Home | News
| Events | Links |
|