Dana Nicole Roberto is used to taking care of people. She is the mother of a special needs son. She’s also the primary caregiver to her wheelchair-bound mother who lives with her. Even though she already has a lot on her plate, there is one more person Dana decided she needed to look after: herself.

“We all must put ourselves on the list,” she says. “We must decide we’re worth it and pursue our dreams.”

A serious health concern changed Crystal Hudson’s whole life. But it also brought her a new sense of purpose and a determination to help others suffering from illness. At Ashford University*, she found the tools to help put her life back on track and pursue her new passion.

Having done stints at various community colleges in the San Francisco Bay Area, Colette Samimi had fallen into the mindset that she couldn’t go back to school. The married mother of two thought she didn’t have the time or money to return to her studies.

“I didn’t have a lot of support from family, no one saying, ‘Yes, you can do this,’” she says. “With taking care of kids and working full-time, I just thought I didn’t have the time to spend sitting in class.”

Burnita Bluitt retired early from a career that included jobs at some of the most prestigious companies in the U.S. before finding Ashford University* and her passion for writing. 

There were plenty of compelling reasons for April Viescas-Lopez to return to school and complete her bachelor’s degree, but ultimately, it was a desire for personal fulfillment that prompted April to enroll at Ashford University*.

Anita Gotcher enrolled at Ashford University* through her company’s Education Partnership with Ashford. She had always wanted to go back to school, but “just the right time” never seemed to happen. Instead, life happened. After graduating with an undergraduate degree in 1997, she went to work, got married, had a child, survived cancer, and finally, started working at Dignity Health. Throughout everything, she held fast to the idea that she would pursue her master’s degree one day. Dignity Health provided that opportunity.