Juggling it All: Meet Online Student and Mother of Four, Melissa Ray

Melissa Ray, 41

Dalton State College
Major: Organizational Leadership
Expected Graduation: May 2019

How did you come to be a student at Dalton State College at this particular time in your life?
I'm a working mom of four. I started college years ago, but never finished due to financial circumstances. Over the last few years I've contemplated going back to school. Raising a family, working and attending school is hard. I put it off and put it off. Then I realized that this is a personal goal of mine and I want to be a role model for my kids. Two are already grown, but the other two are still in Elementary and Middle school. Things are changing in the workplace and a degree is a must. Even though it's a challenge to juggle school with work and family time,eMajor and eCore have made this decision easier for me and the cost is not as much as I anticipated.

Why is completing your college degree important to you?

Future job opportunities, it is a personal goal, and I want to be a role model for my kids.

Why did you choose to take online classes?

I can choose when to do my college work. I still have deadlines, but it makes it easy to work at night, in the mornings, on the weekends, or even lunch breaks. I choose when I have time to do my assignments.

Besides being a college student, what do you spend your time doing?

Spending time with my family and scrapbooking.

How and when do you make time to spend on your school work?

Typically on lunch breaks, late at night after I've worked and gotten all my "mom" duties done. I also spend some time on the weekends doing work. I try to work it around my family time with my kids. Sometimes it has to take priority due to due dates, but I can usually balance both.

Have you used any of the additional support resources available in eCore and eMajor classes?
I've used Smarthinking for research/essay papers. It's great to have them proofed and receive feedback before submitting them for a grade.

What would you say to someone who is considering taking their first online class?

Go for it! Online can be harder than being in a classroom due to the amount of reading and videos you have to watch, but it makes balancing college easier.

Media Contact: Katie Black, kblack@ecampus.usg.edu

Comments

Unknown said…

So proud of you! School alone is hard. Adding work and a family is quite a task. Balancing time for all three doesn't always go as planned but determination in reaching your goal keeps you pushing through. Thanks for giving others inspiration and courage to follow their dreams.

November 12, 2017 at 2:38 PM

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