No matter the circumstance, Gregory Walsh knows that his greatest driving force comes from within.
The 30-year-old came to America from Jamaica in search of a better life, and now manages dozens of people as a supervisor for one of the largest wireless provider carriers in the country. He also has earned a bachelor’s degree in social and criminal justice from the University of Arizona Global Campus (UAGC) and is on his way to earning a master’s degree.
Through humble beginnings, he stays on his path by using himself as an example for inspiration and hard work.
“Just like I motivate myself, I'm always motivating others,” he says.
Leaving Home for More
Gregory spent his childhood in Jamaica. His mother passed away when he was ten years old and his father was out of the picture, so he was raised by his grandmother.
Growing up, he didn’t have much money, but he recalls making good use of the resources he had to attend school —a backpack and a modest wardrobe to match.
Despite this, Gregory didn’t let any of the circumstances get in the way of getting an education.
“I did not allow that to be a blocking stone for me,” Gregory explains. “I continued to work my way up, where I was selected as president for my high school.”
Gregory started college after high school at the University of Technology in Jamaica. Due to his financial constraints, however, he was unable to finish his degree. Ultimately, he determined that Jamaica would not provide him the future he was looking for and the best solution was to move to the United States to seek opportunities and citizenship.
“I needed to be able to become something better,” he says.
Watch his story:
Opportunity Across Oceans
Leaving home to pursue his dreams was a huge venture for Gregory when he migrated to America in 2017 at 21 years old.
“It was extremely hard,” he remembers. “In Jamaica I was thinking, ‘Do I want to really leave everything at home and go to a country where I don't have the support system? Can I do it?’”
He started in Baltimore, staying with friends while completing his paperwork and looking for employment. In Jamaica, he briefly studied hospitality and tourism management, and this background provided him the foundation to work in customer service, which he then embraced head-on when he moved to Florida to pursue a hospitality occupation.
“Being in that situation, it caused me to be motivated with myself” he explained, “knowing that, ‘hey, I could do this.’”
While working at a hotel in Florida, he connected with T-Mobile corporate guests who regularly frequented the facility, and that networking eventually led to a career transition into working for the carrier. Today, Gregory is a supervisor at T-Mobile, where he manages a team of nearly 50. He notes that a positive attitude is an important component of his work.
“I've worked my way up to becoming a supervisor by making sure that I'm mastering all these metrics that they're asking for and by making sure that I'm being friendly,” he explains. “I'm always making sure that I’m motivating others as well.”
Backing Experience with Education
It’s been seven years since Gregory moved to the U.S. and though his family is still in Jamaica, he has established strong friendships and has become part of a community that supports him, including his employer and colleagues. T-Mobile has a partnership with UAGC and offers a tuition benefit, which he cites as an excellent resource for those looking to pursue a higher education.
“My company is very supportive, and they love individuals taking advantage of the opportunity to go back to school,” he says. “I am an advocate when it comes to supporting those people.”
Initially, Walsh was scared to start the process of obtaining his degree. Working full time and going back to school was daunting. He also felt the strain from sacrificing some of his livelihood for his studies. Walsh loves to travel, and between his work and education responsibilities, his strict schedule meant that motivation was running low.
“You're balancing your personal life, balancing your work life, and then here comes school. So, now I have to do homework assignments and so forth, so I was really scared,” he says.
Like his other endeavors, however, he was able to find it within himself to push through every assignment and project. He heard several success stories from UAGC students and alumni and also found that working with a conscientious team of academic advisors helped to push him in a productive direction. Leaning on those advisors, who check in frequently, he found the drive to keep going.
“I just continued to push myself, write motivational notes on my computer and say, ‘Hey, you got this. You can do this,’” he says. “So, by motivating myself, I was able to do those assignments and submit them. I was able to push through all obstacles and was able to overcome, and was able to become an honors student.”
Now, Gregory is working on earning his master’s degree in criminal justice with a specialization in homeland security at UAGC. He sees his lessons mirroring his work.
“The degree that I'm doing right now helps me, in a way, to not only study people in their mindset, but also to be helpful and supportive to each and every person,” he says.
Ultimately, Gregory hopes to become an immigration officer or border patrol officer, or work in the field of criminal justice. While his support system is still far away, his team members at T-Mobile check in often to cheer him on as he pursues his path — and his grandmother cheers him on from afar.
“The last time I saw her was two years ago,” he says. “She knows that I'm going to school and she is very supportive.”
Gregory will continue to push forward using the same techniques that have helped him elevate his life and career in years past.
“At the end of the day, what I did was pray and trust the process, and here I am, believing in myself and continuing to motivate myself,” he says, “and I was able to achieve all these goals.”
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Certain degree programs may not be available in all states.
Successful completion of the Master of Science in Criminal Justice program by itself may not qualify a student for employment with a federal, state or local law enforcement agency. State and local police agencies may require training and certification specified by the individual state’s law enforcement board and may be provided post-hire at a police academy. Other federal, state and local agencies as well as private entities may have individualized requirements. Prospective students are advised to contact individual agencies and states’ law enforcement boards for additional information relating to these requirements.