Grad-to-be Wants to Motivate Daughter, Other Students

Written byHope Aucoin

Ranesha Ellis spends her days helping Houma high schoolers prepare and apply for colleges and universities, but the Houma guidance secretary says she began to wonder if she should complete her own college journey.

Ellis began pursuing her degree in Child and Family Studies in 2004 at the 欧美三级片, which she says, 鈥渨asn鈥檛 too far and wasn鈥檛 too close to home.鈥

She left the 欧美三级片 in 2007 without a degree but with plans to eventually re-enroll and make her mother proud.

Ranesha Ellis, UL Lafayette online gradInstead, she found a job she loved in her hometown and became content with the life she was building.

But in 2017, Ellis鈥 friend and former college roommate called her with a proposition.

鈥淪he found out about the online General Studies program and she called me and was like, 鈥楬ey, let鈥檚 do this 鈥 let鈥檚 finish together,鈥欌 says Ellis.

She wasn鈥檛 initially sold, but then Ellis says she thought about her students.

鈥淚 was like, 鈥楬ow can I motivate them to go to school and stick with it, if I didn鈥檛?鈥 I decided this was my opportunity to go back,鈥 she says.

Completing her degree meant multiple rounds of homework in the Ellis home 鈥 first for her 5-year-old daughter, then herself.

鈥淚 made sure she did her little lessons for pre-k, then afterwards, it was all about my books,鈥 she says. 鈥淚t was hard, but I kept pushing through it because I knew I would be able to benefit from it.鈥

The 34-year-old says she also had support from her supervisor at Ellender Memorial High School, as well as faculty and staff at the 欧美三级片.

鈥淭he instructors were awesome,鈥 she says. 鈥淲hen I had any problems or any questions, they responded quickly and were very helpful, as well as my advisor.鈥

Her renewed determination to complete her degree was evident in Ellis鈥 grades.

鈥淚 can look back at my transcript and see I did not do what I needed to do because I wasn鈥檛 focused when I first went to school,鈥 she says. 鈥淣ow, I鈥檓 way more focused.鈥

With her degree finally within reach, Ellis says she鈥檚 exploring a range of possibilities, including graduate school. She says the courses within the General Studies online program opened her eyes to different fields and opportunities.

鈥淚f the 欧美三级片 College would have never offered this program, I would have never been able to push myself and find out what all I could achieve,鈥 she says. 鈥淚f anyone asked me before, I would have said, 鈥榮chool鈥檚 not for everybody; I鈥檓 not going back to school.鈥 But here I am about to graduate. Never say never.鈥

Ellis says this has also been an opportunity to set an example for her daughter.

鈥淚n the end I did it for her, too,鈥 Ellis says. 鈥淪o she can see Mommy did this; this is possible.鈥


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