Balancing Books and Care: Shocker Stories

My name is Alicia, and I am a student at Wichita State pursuing my degree in Elementary Education. I am currently working two jobs and am a mom to a 3-year-old daughter, so life is definitely busy! I returned to school because I wanted to help build a better future for my family while pursuing something I am truly passionate about. I have always enjoyed working with children and knew from a young age that I wanted to become a teacher. Becoming a mom made my passion for education even stronger. I want to become the kind of teacher who helps children feel supported and excited to learn. Balancing college and motherhood can be challenging, but my daughter is also one of my biggest motivations. I want her to grow up seeing that it is possible to pursue your goals even when life is busy and challenging. Being a student-parent has not always been easy, but it has helped me discover how capable I can be. I am proud to be working toward my degree while raising my daughter, and I hope by sharing my story, other student-parents know they are not alone. Balancing college and parenthood takes dedication, but it is possible! When I am not studying or spending time with my daughter, I enjoy cooking and trying new recipes!

Hi, my name is Candice. I live in Lansing, Kansas and work as a paraprofessional for going on eight years. I started with USD 469 School District in 2018. I started working in the elementary school my first month but soon after changed over to early childhood. Best choice ever! I fell in love with my little students. I work with children 3-5 years of age. I work with peer models, autism, learning disabilities, and visual and hearing impairments students. I started the TAP program this year because I love what I do and how I help my kiddos achieve their goals. The best thing is watching my littles achieve their goals and learning on to move on to harder goals. Every child deserves a voice no matter their disability. I've been in Lansing School District going on 8 years now. So, it's time to just step into the role of a real teacher and not just their para. Outside of work, I love reading and listening to music to have alone time, but most of all I love being a mom and wife. I love my baby. I enjoy being with my kiddos and my husband. I also minister to 4-11-year-olds in my church and run their programs for all the children's programs throughout our church. If I could have one extra hour in the day, I would spend it with my kids and hubby on the back porch talking and playing games. Life is too short to live in the moment! We have taken my sister's kids in due to her drug use, and I have adopted them as my own. I'm an auntie/mom and I'm about to be a NONNA. In Italian, it means grandma. So in saying all that, I have a 19-year-old, almost 20, daughter/niece who's having a baby boy. My daughter just finished high school and is going to nail school. My 17-year-old nephew/son is going into 11th grade and works for a daycare. My 13-year-old daughter/niece is going into the 8th grade and is just finding herself. Then my youngest is 3 years old. We are in the final steps of adopting him. He is in early childhood with me this year and starts back tomorrow, August 17th! Life is what you make it and mine just got so much bigger. Three years ago I married my husband right after we got our little guy who is now the big 3, but when we got him he was 9 days old. My boyfriend at the time didn't run, and he now is the best supportive father to all my kiddos and a great supportive husband. We are loving life and enjoying every day God gives us. God sure is good even through the darkest times.

My journey back to school began unexpectedly through my daughter’s experience with education. I completed my engineering degree in 2010, and for many years, my career and life followed a different path. When my daughter started pre-K in 2022, I became more interested in education and discovered a passion for teaching and supporting students. In 2023, I began working as a substitute teacher, and I continue to work in this role today. Through long-term assignments, particularly in special education classrooms, I had the opportunity to work closely with students who needed additional academic and behavioral support. These experiences were incredibly rewarding and helped me realize how meaningful it is to support children, contribute to their growth, and give back to my community through education. This experience inspired me to return to school and pursue a degree in educational psychology, which I completed in May 2026. However, I did not want my educational journey to stop there. I am now pursuing a doctorate in behavioral sciences and education, and I am very excited to continue learning, growing, and developing my ability to make a meaningful contribution to education. Balancing my roles as a mother, partner, teacher, graduate assistant, and doctoral student has certainly been challenging, but it has also been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. I am a mother to an eight-year-old daughter, and in many ways, we have grown alongside each other. Watching her begin her own educational journey inspired me to begin mine. Her experiences continue to motivate me to pursue my goals while also being present for my family. Currently, I am working as a graduate assistant while continuing to accept guest-teaching assignments and beginning my first semester in my doctoral program. I am excited about this new chapter and look forward to continuing to learn and contribute to the field of education. I love spending time with my daughter. We enjoy watching animated and Disney movies together, swimming, and visiting Exploration Place. Some of my favorite moments are simply spending time with her and creating memories together. My journey has taken me from engineering to teaching, educational psychology, and now doctoral study. Although it has not always been easy to balance everything, I have learned that it is never too late to discover a new passion, pursue a new direction, and continue growing.

I was encouraged by my boss to go back to school, and once I started, I never looked back. My biggest inspiration comes from my kids, the three I’m raising at home and the many I’ve supported in the classroom over the years. I love what I do and the difference I get to help children make in the world. I used to say I was working toward becoming a special education teacher, but as of August, I can proudly say I am one. Now that I’ve reached that goal, my next milestone is graduating with at least a 3.8 GPA.

I decided to go back to school because I wanted to better myself and create more opportunities for me and my family. My family is a big part of what keeps me going, even when balancing school, work, and everything at home gets overwhelming. I am currently finishing my bachelor's degree in Organizational Leadership and Learning and working toward graduating this fall. My goal is to find a career that I enjoy and that gives my family more stability. A fun fact about me is that I enjoy driving, cooking, swimming, and spending time with my family. I also do Spark driving on the side, so I am usually always on the go!

I started my college career 15 years ago. At the time, I was pursuing nursing. During my last semester at community college, I had my daughter. She was born with cerebral palsy and ended up in the NICU. I had to choose between finishing college and being with her, and I chose to be with her. It took 12 years before she was healthy enough for me to continue my college journey. There was no way I could become a nurse and work nursing hours while caring for a high-needs child. So, I chose to become a teacher. She would be at school while I was at work, and we could be home together afterward. When I found out about the TAP program, I chose to go back to school. This also allowed me to attend school while still being able to spend time with all of my children and take care of my daughter's needs.

I started working in the school district as a para last year when my youngest started school. She hated it. I was so sad that she did not enjoy school, but I was loving my new job as a paraprofessional. I decided then that I had found what I wanted to do. I work in special education, specifically in a self-contained autism classroom, and it made me see a different side of education. My older kids go to the same school where I work, and they love that Mom works at their school. I love being able to be near them. My youngest went back to pre-kindergarten this year, and she loves it. This goes to show that not every teacher enjoys what they do, and teachers have a huge impact on students. Looking back at my childhood teachers, I can remember the ones who made me feel safe and loved versus the ones who were just there and sometimes mean. I want to be the teacher who puts kids' needs first and is always in their corner cheering them on. I want my children to see that Mom, who was "old" (I'm only 30!), found something she loved doing and made a career out of it. I want them to see that it is never too late in life to keep learning and go after something, whether it's a degree, a certification, or a new job. By the end of my education, I hope to have a teaching degree with a master's degree in special education. I want to help my school district improve its structured learning classrooms and make them the best they can be for our students. Fun fact: I never dreamed of being a teacher. I wanted to work in the medical field and be a mom. Look at me now, a mom going into education! It's never too late to decide you want to do something else with your career, as long as you are committed to doing what it takes to get there!

I went back to school in 2022-2023. I started out at a community college and found out that it was not for me, so I transferred to Cowley College, where I received my associate degree in medical billing and coding and also earned a couple of certificates. I thought I wanted to be done after that, but then I realized I could do more, and my husband fully supported me. I searched different universities that would accept my credits, but none aligned with what I wanted to do. I finally landed at Wichita State, and I feel like I found my place. Even though I am a full-time online student, I have a huge support system at WSU. What inspires my goals is wanting to help others and show my kids that you can do anything you put your mind to. It doesn't matter if you're 18 or 37, you can find your career path at any age. I am working toward finding my place in the workforce after earning my degree. A fun fact about me is that I love going to concerts! I listen to heavy metal rock music

I chose my major because I have always wanted to be in the dental field since middle school. When I started working as a dental assistant many years ago, I worked for a doctor who taught me that serving others is one of the best rewards a person can experience. He inspired me to not only become a better dental professional but also to become a better person by putting the needs of others first. My goal is to graduate from the dental hygiene program and work in rural communities. I moved to a rural area in Kansas 3 years ago, and I saw many elderly and children having limited access to dental care and preventive care. My long-term goal is to open a mobile dental clinic that travels to small towns in my area, providing care to people who might otherwise go without treatment. I want every patient to feel seen, heard, and cared for. After completing the Dental Hygiene program, I plan to fulfill the clinical requirements needed to obtain the permits and credentials that will allow me to provide care more independently in rural communities. I am committed to staying on track to achieve these goals. I hope to be an inspiration to immigrant people who were told that you don't belong, or mothers who think it is too late for them. Above all I want to be an inspiration to my kids and show them that it is never too late to reach your dreams.