My educational journey: You can never have too much education

by Tech. Sgt. Treverly S. Ford
412 AMDS/SGPD

9/4/2013 - EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- My educational journey began before I joined the military. As a teen mother, I was determined to finish college; I wanted to be a role model for my son. I managed to complete a year and a half of college before being a full time student, working full time and being a mother began to be too much to handle.

Having grown up as an Army brat, I knew the military was a great alternative -- so I joined. My first four years in the military, I didn't take any classes. It wasn't until my third assignment that I found my inspiration: a fellow Airman. My coworker, who also was a good friend, was taking classes. I immediately became motivated to begin taking classes again. Because of the classes I took before joining the Air Force, I needed only three classes to receive my Community College of the Air Force degree. I took the three classes and, in 2006, I was awarded my CCAF degree in dental assisting. From there I just kept going. I continued taking two classes through distance learning every semester until I finished my bachelor's degree. I received my Bachelor of Arts in Management Studies from University of Maryland University College in 2009.

My journey didn't end there. After a year-and-a-half break, I found a school that caught my eye while attending one of the education fairs the Education Office sponsored. Western International University offered everything I wanted in a master's degree program, so I began taking classes in 2010. This time around I decided I would take classes slowly. The same year I started taking classes, I began having some personal issues and I ended up taking an eight month break. Determined to finish, I started taking two classes at a time so I could finish my degree. In May 2013, I attended my college graduation. I can now say I have completed my Master of Arts in Innovative Leadership. Through all this, my main goal was to be a good role model for my children. I finally feel like I have accomplished that. However, my educational journey isn't quite over yet; I plan to get a certification in Human Resource Management. You can never have too much education.