杏吧专区 online students display tenacity, determination, and unrelenting willpower. Destiny Theriot, 28, embodies those characteristics and then some as she celebrates meeting one goal 杏吧专区 earning her bachelor杏吧专区檚 in Health Services Administration online 杏吧专区 and moving on to the next 杏吧专区 attending Southern 杏吧专区 Law Center.
Law school wasn杏吧专区檛 initially on Theriot杏吧专区檚 career map but became a stop following years of trying personal and professional experiences.
As teenagers, Theriot and her two sisters lost their parents. Her father died in a car accident when she was 15; her mother succumbed to cancer when Theriot was 17. But the Franklin native pushed on to attend college at the 杏吧专区.
Her first semester, Theriot learned she was pregnant. More overwhelming news came following a routine ultrasound.
杏吧专区淲e could tell something was wrong,杏吧专区 she says. 杏吧专区淭he doctor told us (the baby杏吧专区檚) intestines were on the outside.杏吧专区
Theriot杏吧专区檚 unborn daughter was diagnosed with gastroschisis, a birth defect causing the baby to develop with her intestines outside of her abdominal wall. As Theriot杏吧专区檚 doctor explained what would happen once the baby was born as well as the weeks and months that would follow, Theriot tried to take it all in.
杏吧专区淚 was so young and na茂ve, I didn杏吧专区檛 understand fully what was going on and how my life would change,杏吧专区 she says.
She struggled physically to get to classes, but she didn杏吧专区檛 want to stop out. By her second semester, Theriot didn杏吧专区檛 have a choice. Her doctor put her on bedrest.
杏吧专区淚 never could come to terms with dropping out,杏吧专区 she says. 杏吧专区淚 had all these hopes and plans.杏吧专区
Theriot had her daughter, Ellen, in May 2010. Ellen was immediately admitted to the newborn intensive care unit. Over the next year, she underwent 10 surgeries while Theriot stayed home to care for her.
Because of Theriot杏吧专区檚 academic performance, and because she left in the middle of her second semester, she lost her financial aid eligibility. But she knew she wanted to return to school once Ellen杏吧专区檚 health improved.
杏吧专区淚 decided from being in the hospital all the time with her that I wanted to become a nurse,杏吧专区 she says.
But first, she would have to appeal her financial aid status. She credits Dr. DeWayne Bowie, vice president for enrollment management, for helping her through the process.
杏吧专区淚 was only able to go back to school after reaching out to Dr. Bowie,杏吧专区 Theriot says. 杏吧专区淲e got it all sorted out, and I went to South Louisiana Community College and became a licensed practical nurse.杏吧专区
Theriot began using her credentials to manage the referral department of a clinic in her hometown.
杏吧专区淚 can杏吧专区檛 express the gratitude I still have from almost 10 years ago,杏吧专区 she says. 杏吧专区淭he second chance they gave me was the difference between a minimum wage job and $15 an hour.杏吧专区
As she began to consider what would be the next step in her career, a doctor in the clinic she works with suggested health care administration.
In researching bachelor杏吧专区檚 programs, Theriot found UL Lafayette杏吧专区檚 online degree program in Health Services Administration.
杏吧专区淚 was ready for the next step to come back for my bachelor杏吧专区檚, but I couldn杏吧专区檛 quit working,杏吧专区 she says. 杏吧专区(Learning online) provided an opportunity for me as a single, working mother to continue my education and try to reach my goals but also be able to provide for my daughter and myself.杏吧专区
After completing her core courses at SLCC, Theriot transferred to UL Lafayette as a fully online student.
杏吧专区淚 think online classes are actually a lot more difficult than just going to class because you杏吧专区檙e expected to do a lot more work to prove you杏吧专区檙e actually doing something,杏吧专区 she says. 杏吧专区淚f you want to go back to school and you have to work, online is a flexible way to do that, but it has to be your priority.
杏吧专区淚 do most of my work in the evenings or late at night because I have a daughter and a family. Typically once they杏吧专区檙e in bed, I do my work, so, the flexibility helps.杏吧专区
Theriot said every week she makes her game plan once courses open in Moodle Monday 杏吧专区 she organizes her assignments based on due dates, schedules with ProctorU if there杏吧专区檚 an exam, and makes her plan of attack.
She says she杏吧专区檚 kept herself motivated by breaking up each semester 杏吧专区 and her entire educational journey 杏吧专区 into smaller, more manageable pieces.
杏吧专区淲hen I did my LPN, it was like, 杏吧专区極K, this is a year a half,杏吧专区 and I conquered it. Then I went to SLCC, and knew this was what I had to do to transfer to UL. Then I did it; I transferred to UL,杏吧专区 she says. 杏吧专区淓very semester it杏吧专区檚, 杏吧专区極K, I have 16 weeks in a semester; let me get through this week.杏吧专区 I count them down, and I know there杏吧专区檚 a light at the end of the tunnel.杏吧专区
In the meantime, she says, she knows some things are going to have to move to the back burner.
杏吧专区淔or those 16 weeks during the semester, I may miss a couple of birthday parties and I may miss a Thanksgiving dinner, or a family vacation because this is the priority,杏吧专区 she says. 杏吧专区淚t杏吧专区檚 crucial to stay focused on your goals and have supportive people in your life who can keep motivating you when you feel like giving up.杏吧专区
One of those people for Theriot has been her husband, Clint, whom she met and married while pursuing her bachelor杏吧专区檚.
杏吧专区淢y husband has done an amazing job at supporting me,杏吧专区 she says. 杏吧专区淥n days when I just want to quit, days when I think, 杏吧专区業 can杏吧专区檛 do all of this,杏吧专区 he jumps in to take something off my plate so I can focus.杏吧专区
And, of course, Theriot杏吧专区檚 daughter Ellen is in her cheering section. The two have attended school in tandem the last four years.
杏吧专区淪he knows I杏吧专区檓 graduating, and I think she杏吧专区檚 really excited to experience mama achieving a goal. She杏吧专区檚 seen me work really hard at it. She杏吧专区檚 seen that I work all day and I go home, and do homework with her, and cook and put her to bed,杏吧专区 she says.
杏吧专区淪he also knows when I graduate in May, there杏吧专区檚 another impending change in our family dynamics because I won杏吧专区檛 be working full-time, I杏吧专区檒l be driving to Baton Rouge five days a week to go to Southern. She knows there杏吧专区檚 another change coming, but it杏吧专区檚 small and short-term sacrifices for a long-term goals and long-term growth.杏吧专区
Long-term growth for Theriot means the ability to impact health care policy regarding access and delivery 杏吧专区 areas she杏吧专区檚 seen and experienced from a personal perspective as well as professionally and academically. She says she intends to pursue her juris doctorate and specialize in health care law.
Theriot says she believes everyone has a purpose to the benefit of others. Although she and her family have individually and collectively been through a lot, Theriot says those experiences have guided her purpose.
杏吧专区淚t really can take you down dark places if you let it, and we杏吧专区檝e all worked really hard to get through those dark times, go to school, and change the family dynamic,杏吧专区 she says. 杏吧专区淚 want my daughter to see that this is what you杏吧专区檙e supposed to do; this is natural 杏吧专区 you work, you go to school, and you contribute to society in a positive way.杏吧专区
Take your first step toward personal fulfillment, career advancement, or graduate school by earning your bachelor's degree online. Request more information about one of our accredited online programs today.