Toni T. Dodge has spent her entire professional life working to enhance the lives of others. A college graduate living in central Ohio, she spent more than 20 years managing Meals on Wheels programs, helping feed the senior population while providing them comfort and independence. Her experience and compassion earned her speaking positions with the National Association of Nutrition and Aging Services Programs and the National Association of Farm Market Nutrition Programs.

Good intentions and determination were not enough to earn Katalina Scott a bachelor’s degree the first time around. 

She began her college education at Southern Texas University and transferred to Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas, after becoming pregnant with her son at age 19. Having stopped and restarted her coursework there several times, Scott was two credits shy of earning a business degree when she was informed she couldn’t resume classes because the school didn’t have her high school transcripts. 

Scott had to quickly rethink her next steps.

When Jessica Castro enrolled at Ashford University* in 2016 to earn her Bachelor of Arts in Entrepreneurship, she was about to begin what many would see as a nearly impossible task: earning a college degree while holding down two full-time jobs. Of course, Jessica Castro isn’t one to shy away from a challenge. 

The decision to keep both jobs and attend school meant Jessica would have to be incredibly motivated.