We strive to help our students grow and succeed. Explore our students' stories below.
- Hometown: Salem, VA
- Are you a current student in the program or an alumni?
Alumni
- Graduation Year from ADP
2024
- How did you enter the Adult Degree Program?
Original ADP Application
- Degree Earned & Concentration
Bachelor of Individualized Study Major in Individualized Study Concentration in Early Childhood Education Development
- Please list a fun fact about yourself!
My favorite food is pickles!
- Tell us about your success story & include your background and journey to ADP (previously attended institutions, military, etc.)
Right after high school, I went to community college to become a teacher or daycare director. After my first year there, I had to step away from that and raise my first daughter. My education was put on the back burner for several years while I become a Stay at home mom for my 3 daughters. When they were all in school and thriving, I started working in the school system to make some extra money for the family. I knew my heart was always in the classroom but at that time, I didn't have the support to go back to school. My dreams were put on hold for almost 20 years. After a huge life change, I had the support and encouragement from my husband, parents and coworkers to take a look into what I had left to succeed with my goal. Covid hit and everything was online so I thought "Why not?" Well....after completing my course work at Community College, I was accepted into James Madison University. I was so doubtful of myself. Working a full time job, keeping up with the family and juggling school work was not an easy task but I accomplished it with better grades than I ever imagined! I graduated with a 4.0 gpa for my bachelors! This accomplishment is one I never thought would happen in my life, much less to the capacity I did! I was offered a job at the same school I was currently an Instructional Assistant as well as the one where I went to school myself! I am so blessed to work in an environment where I am supported and encouraged to keep chasing my dreams!
- What are your next steps/future plans?
I plan to graduate with my masters in Education with Teacher Leadership Concentration this spring. My teaching career started this past fall and I will continue teaching 2nd grade with some of the best coworkers in the world!
- Who is someone that supported you throughout your time in the Adult Degree Program?
My husband, my 3 daughters and my parents were huge supports to me! I couldn't have done any of this without them! They sat through family dinners with me on zoom, understood when I couldn't come to a game, or was fine with peanut butter and jelly for dinner if I had too much on my plate that night! I have had the pleasure of working with some of the best educators there are! One particular pushed me to go back to school and has cheered me on through this journey, Mary Ellen Collier. Some of the other teachers who have made this possible for me would be Kyle Highfill, Katie Crotts, Bronwyn Thomas, and Summer Custer. These are some of the best rockstar teachers there ever was! I also became very close with some cohorts from my BIS program. Lou Ann Leonard, Rebecca Hancock and Alexandra Cromwell were there from the start and they are still cheering me!
- What is a tip you would give to current students in the program?
Don't give up! It is worth it in the long run! These professors are there to help and support your journey, use them as great resources
- Hometown: Grottoes, VA. Originally from Saudi Arabia
- Are you a current student in the program or an alumni?
Alumni
- Graduation Year from ADP
2024
- How did you enter the Adult Degree Program?
Return to Madison
- Degree Earned & Concentration
Science and Education
- Please list a fun fact about yourself!
I played soccer professionally when I was in high school.
- Tell us about your success story & include your background and journey to ADP (previously attended institutions, military, etc.)
I originally attended JMU for undergrad in 2013. I soon realized that college life is totally different from anything that I ever experienced. I found myself working hard at the beginning but eventually I started to hangout with the wrong crowd. I started to drink a lot and started skipping classes. During my last semester (Fall 2017) I hit rock bottom and I just quit going to school because I was just lost.
Fast forward to 2018, I met my now wife who actually helped me turn my life around. I started to work in middle school as a teacher assistant. I grew to love this job, that's how I found out about ADP to finish my degree and become a teacher. I'm very grateful for everyone who believed in me and am very appreciative of the opportunity. ADP was just the place I needed to be to get where I wanted to.
- What are your next steps/future plans?
I have applied for my first teaching job and I'm going to teach starting next school year :)
- Who is someone that supported you throughout your time in the Adult Degree Program?
My wife Heather. She helped me apply to the program and helped every step of the way to the day I graduated.
- What is a tip you would give to current students in the program?
Don't be afraid to take a chance on yourself. This program will work for you and around your schedule. Most classes if not all are online. Ask questions because ADP staff and advisors are always happy to help.
- Hometown: Roanoke, Virginia
- Are you a current student in the program or an alumni?
Current Student
- Graduation Year from ADP
2025
- How did you enter the Adult Degree Program?
JMU Employee
- Degree Earned & Concentration
Communications & Human Resource Development
- Please list a fun fact about yourself!
I love animals! Right now, we're getting ready to get goats and we have a mini-Shetland Pony named Daisy May, a beagle-dachshund mix named Cricket, and two bunnies Baxter and Bubba. Since my kids were little, we've also had a hermit crab, fish, hamsters, ducks, chickens, and a turkey.
- Tell us about your success story & include your background and journey to ADP (previously attended institutions, military, etc.)
I attended Longwood University from 2001-2004 and took a break due to a combination of burn out and declining grades. I spent 15+ years working in retail banking, investments and insurance before making a career change to work in the Finance Department at JMU and applying to the Adult Degree Program to complete my degree. I was very nervous about going back to school even through not finishing my degree was a big regret of mine and I had thought about applying to a program many different times over the years but always talked myself out of it.
I am so glad that I made this choice for myself.
- What are your next steps/future plans?
I graduate this Spring, and this Fall I'll be starting the Adult Education and Human Resource Development graduate program at JMU. I've learned along the way that I'm truly fascinated by the concept of Adult Learning, and I was surprised at how many people are working on completing a degree in their 40's. The Adult Degree Program transformed my thinking on both continued education for myself as well as how I've approached my college aged daughter's educational journey. I wish someone had told me at her age that its ok to not have all the answers, to not know exactly what you want to do, that you don't have to take 18 credits a semester or graduate on a four-year plan, because not everyone is the same and progress, growth, and hard work is what is important!
- Who is someone that supported you throughout your time in the Adult Degree Program?
My husband and kids have been so supportive during my ADP journey. They even held things down at home last summer for two weeks without me so that I could go on the ADP study abroad to Germany.
- What is a tip you would give to current students in the program?
It is NEVER too late to learn! Take your time and go at your own pace because everyone learns using different methods and at different speeds.
Figure out what works for you and do that--over and over, until you succeed!
Adult Degree Program
Professional Development
Lifelong Learning Institute
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