Name: I-Esha 

Age: 29

Number of Children: 1

Married, Never Married, Divorced, Widowed? Never Married

Major/Degree: B.S. in Animal Science w/ a minor in psychology & Master’s in Education

Dream Job/ Career Goals: I am living my dream job…I teach special ed!

Why did you decide to go to school? I decided to go back to school for my master’s because I wanted to be a teacher.

What was your biggest fear in terms of college? The biggest fear I had was leaving my child to be in school and being away from her. I also worried about my ability to handle the workload and still take care of my child.

At your college were there a good amount of moms in your classes? There were a lot of moms in the credential program but most of them were married or had active fathers in their child’s life so I felt that my situation was very different from theirs.

Did you associate with students who weren’t mothers? If so, how do you feel around them? I did but I felt that we did not have too much in common. I felt that their issues were not really “issues” because they seemed so juvenile. I also felt out of place a bit because at that point in time I didn’t do much outside of school so my conversation centered around school and parenting….which is hard to relate to if you don’t have a child

What inspires/motivates you? My daughter

“Going back to school while my daughter was young was the best decision I ever made!”

Tell me a little bit of your story: I met my daughter’s dad when I was in college working on my undergraduate degree. After I graduated we decided to have a child. Unfortunately, our relationship did not work out and he is not an active parent in my daughter’s life. When I decided that I wanted to go back to school for my Master’s degree, I had to rely a lot on family and government support, which made me feel horrible because I was so used to being independent and taking care of my needs. Going back to school while my daughter was young was the best decision I ever made! I finished school by the time she was 4, which is awesome because now I can focus on her and her schooling and not worry about mine. I am so thankful I went back to school and furthered my education. As a single mom with full custody, I need to make sure that I am in a position to take care of our needs as a family and having more education opened up many more doors for me.

Any advice for other mothers thinking about going/returning to college? DO IT!!! No matter what age your child is, GO BACK TO SCHOOL! If your child is young (preschool age or younger) you may have time to finish before he/she starts school. If your child is older then you are going to set a good example for them and it can help them value their education and take their learning more seriously. Education never gets old and never goes out of style. Furthering your education is one of the most precious gifts you can give yourself and your child.

Thank you so much I-Esha for sharing with everyone! Your success story is such an encouragement! I wish you nothing but the very best as you educate special ed children and raise your daughter! You are an inspiration!