The End of One Academic Path...the Beginning of Another

I write this just a week and a half after returning from my graduation ceremony at Ashford University in San Diego.  I reflect on where I was 2-1/2 years ago, and the decisions that led me to finish my undergraduate degree.

Nineteen years ago, I enrolled at Montana State University in Bozeman and began a double major in Business Management and Criminal Justice.  Only three semesters in (two regular semesters and one summer semester), I realized none of that was within the goals I had for myself at the time.  With this realization, I dropped out of college, with no plans to go back to a university.

Ten years ago, with the goal of learning medical transcription and setting myself up with a career where I had the opportunity to work from home, I enrolled in Brighton College's online medical transcription course, finishing that in about 2-1/2 years.  My enrollment in that course coincided with our decision to adopt for the first time, and knowing that I wanted to be able to stay at home as much as possible and work from home.  Once I earned my Certificate of Medical Transcription and began my medical transcription career with an internship that allowed me to develop my skills to be able to work from home, I figured that would be the end of my academic career.

I have learned, though, that often life leads you in directions you never thought you would go.  God uses our life experiences and our passions to change the course of our lives.  This is exactly what happened in the summer of 2012.  With ten years of parenting under our belts, specifically adoptive parenting, and through getting to know and offering mutual support to other adoptive families in our community, I began to slowly develop a passion for helping adoptive families like my own.  On a wild hair, I began to look into what it would take to become a licensed counselor in the state of Montana.  Thus, a new chapter was begun in my life.  I enrolled at Ashford University online to complete my bachelor's degree, beginning with Applied Behavioral Science, and soon changing to straight Psychology.  Many of my credits from both MSU and my medical transcription courses transferred, and I was able to start pretty much where I left off at MSU, completing my Bachelor of Arts in Psychology on September 29 of this year, after 2 years and 2 months of reading, discussion posts, and papers, papers, and more papers.  I joined the Golden Key Honor Society, was on the Dean's List for every term, and graduated Summa Cum Laude with a cumulative GPA of 4.0.  It was not easy, and I can honestly say that without the support of my husband and children, I would not have been able to do this, while parenting full-time and all that entails, working at alternating times full-time and part-time, and dealing with everything else life tends to throw one's way.

So, what's next?  Many people have asked me this.  Fortunately, I knew the path I would need to follow before I even started.  I am currently in the process of applying for a graduate program.  I have a university narrowed down at this point based on recommendations from the State of Montana licensing board and required accreditation and academic and counseling hours.  I will share which school and which specific Master's degree when I know whether or not I have been accepted.  This part of my academic journey should take at least a couple of years to complete.  I hope to start after the first of the year.  The, the licensing exam will come next.  At this point, though, that is still a ways away, so barely on the edges of my radar at this point.

I know that my journey as an adoptive mother has given me a new understanding and deeper knowledge of my subject of study.  Twenty years ago, this field was not even an option or a slight interest for me.  What I have learned in life in recent years has given me a solid foundation and a passion for it now. I am excited about what is to come, and getting into the meat of my future career once my graduate studies ensue.

In the meantime, I am catching up on some classes for Civil Air Patrol, a pile of paperwork I need to get completed, and just resting my brain for a bit and working a little more while I am free from homework.  I am even getting in a little bit of pleasure reading (a rare occurrence during the past two years!).  Things are always busy in our household, and will continue to be, so I will have plenty to do to keep me busy during the next 2 or 3 months.  I look forward to studying for my Master's degree with a combination of anticipation and total panic!  ;)