By LEA JESSUP
Sheridan Community Schools
Dayne Jessup, Professor Kimberly Brandt, and Lea Jessup at their graduation. (Photo provided by Lea Jessup)
This time last year I accomplished an important goal I had set for myself, although it was about 30 years late. When I graduated high school, I headed to Purdue with many of my friends to pursue my bachelor’s degree in education. At the end of my first year, my father passed away unexpectedly and due to family circumstances, I wasn’t able to go back the following year. Instead I started in the work force with the goal of finishing my degree one day in the future.
I was pretty fortunate with my career path. Technology wasn’t as common place as it is today, and if you were willing to learn, job opportunities were readily available. Working for a few big companies, I learned as much as I could, and certainly as much as they would teach me. I found some time to carve out a plan to finish my Associate’s Degree at Indiana Wesleyan University in between having a family. My goal of obtaining my Bachelor’s was still important and I told myself “I’ll get it done before my sons do.”
I had no idea how fast that time would go by. For the next few years, life was a blur. I was fortunate to be able to join the Sheridan Community Schools family as Technology Director. Being involved with my kids and their education has been an incredible blessing, but the time to reach my goal was ticking away. It took a backseat to their many activities. Being a football Mom in the stands seemed more important than being a student in the classroom at the time.
When my oldest son was looking for a way to finish his degree while managing a career, I told him about my experience at Indiana Wesleyan’s adult program. After looking into it, and knowing about my unreached goal of one day finishing myself, he said “Why not do it with me Mom?” The next thing I knew I found myself sitting beside him in a classroom every Wednesday night for the next 18 months.
While most everyone in our cohort were there for career advancement purposes, my reasons were very different. An important part of my job as Sheridan’s Technology Director was helping our students prepare for their own college and career opportunities. My college experience was very different than the ones they would be facing. What better way to understand the needs of our students than to become one? It has absolutely helped me shape our school technology to better prepare our kids. Another bonus was a chance to be an example to our students that you are always learning – no matter what your age, there is always something new to learn.
This week, in honor of Mother’s Day, Indiana Wesleyan has been airing several commercials highlighting moms who have persevered and overcome much more difficult obstacles than I did, who have also achieved their dream of obtaining a college degree. I am proud to be in that commercial. I’m proud that my son not only encouraged me to do it, but worked along beside me to get his. I am honored to be one of the latest Blackhawks to obtain a college degree.
On April 30, 2016, my name was called five seconds before my son’s to accept my degree. My youngest son still has another year to go before he finishes his technology program at Ball State. Getting my degree before my sons – check! As it says in the commercial, “Go be great. Anything is possible!”