Jeniva Dapson is creating her own American Dream. Just last year, she earned her BA in early childhood education from the University of Arizona Global Campus. Since she completed her first degree, she has made strides in her professional career, and now, she has set her sights on her next big achievement – her master’s degree in early childhood education leadership. And it has certainly been a long road that started in Central America.
Belizean Beginnings
Jeniva grew up in Belize, a small Central American country located south of Mexico, on the western edge of the Caribbean Sea. When Jeniva was just five years old, her mother left her home country for America. Jeniva, along with her sister and brother, stayed in Belize and were raised by their grandparents for much of her young life.
“My mom says that she wanted a better life for us,” she confirms. “That’s why she left Belize.”
A developing country, Belize lacks many of the amenities in the abundance that those in more developed parts of the world have grown accustomed to.
“Growing up, everything was limited for me,” she describes.
But, she says her early school experience was pretty typical there, and she remembers it fondly.
Journey to the U.S.
At the age of 13, Jeniva joined her mother in the United States, more specifically, Los Angeles. Eventually, her sister made the move to the states, as well.
“She just wanted us to have a different experience,” Jeniva says of her mother’s desire to be reunited with her daughters and to provide them with education and opportunity unavailable in Belize.
So, as an eighth grader, Jeniva started life in a new country, with new cultural and language barriers.
“Some of the things I saw here were brand new to me.”
Additionally, while Belize is often considered an English-speaking country, it’s not exactly the same as American English. In Belize, many people speak Belizean Creole.
“It’s still English, but it’s like broken up,” she explains. “It’s a different dialect.”
Jeniva explains that a significant part of the culture in Belize is to treat your elders with the utmost respect. This, of course, is an attitude many also hold in the United States, but Jeniva observed a loose adherence to this ideal. In her new California school, she says it was hard for her to come to terms with the disrespect some students showed teachers.
“Back home, walking down the street, if I see someone older than me, I’m expected to say, ‘Hello.’ Here, if someone comes past you, you don’t have to say anything. It’s different.”
Jeniva adapted and stayed true to her values, successfully completing high school. She continued her education and took classes at a local college. Then, at 23, she had her first daughter.
“Before I had her, I was going to school, but I wasn’t really sure about what direction I wanted to go,” she says. “When she was four months old, I got a job with a company called Bright Horizons.”
Finding Purpose and Passion
Jeniva’s job with Bright Horizons marked the start of her career in early childhood and was the catalyst for the education she would later pursue. For 16 years, Jeniva worked with infants and toddlers while also continuing to take college classes as time permitted as she continued to work and raise a family.
“Growing up, I used to always be interested in kids, mostly babies,” she recalls.
So, she started taking some classes in child development at her local college. Though she only took classes sporadically, she knew she had found her path. In 2020, as COVID-19 swept the entire globe, Jeniva determined it was time for her to finish what she had been working toward for so many years.
“When the pandemic hit, I decided to go back and finish my degree,” she says.
Jeniva and other Bright Horizons employees received immense support in achieving their educational goals through a partnership with Ashford University (now the University of Arizona Global Campus). Thanks to this, she had not only found her passion, she had also found a school where she could pursue it.
“Bright Horizons had a program to help teachers pay for their degree,” she explains. “They helped me with my BA degree. It’s heaven-sent.”
In September of 2022, Jeniva completed her Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood Education* and began her master’s degree just two months later. None of it would have been possible without the flexibility of online education.
“It’s the most amazing thing that could happen to anybody,” she states. “I don’t have to go on a college campus to get my degree. I love that, and I also love that it’s one class at a time. You get to focus on that specific class, and you’re not too stressed.”
Though she is currently working toward her second degree, it was important for her to properly celebrate her first. So, she was thrilled to be able to attend the UAGC spring commencement ceremony in May 2023.
“It was the best experience,” she exclaims. “It made me want to move to Arizona because it reminds me so much of Belize. It’s hot. I love the heat; I can’t stand being cold.”
Accompanied by her two daughters, aged 16 and nine, as well as other family members, Jeniva walked the stage. Since earning her bachelor’s degree, she has even been recruited to take a new position with a different child care center.
“I’m still working with infants at a Reggio Emelia inspired school, so it’s a little bit different,” she says of her children-led educational work.
Jeniva has her sights on her future and the completion of her master’s degree.
“Once I get my master’s, I’m going to need to level up,” she laughs. Jeniva’s ultimate goal is to have her own child care center, starting with a home day care business.
Jeniva also knows that her journey has made an impression on her oldest daughter who is beginning to consider her own future. But Jeniva wants to make sure her daughter maintains her own identity and understands that she doesn’t have to do things exactly the same way.
“She wants to go in the same direction as me,” Jeniva says. “But I want her to know she can go in a different direction.”
Whether Jeniva’s daughters follow in her footsteps or choose a different path, her hope for them is to know anything is possible.
“I want them to know that no matter what you go through in life, you can always accomplish your goals if you put your mind to it,” she says.
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*An online degree from the University of Arizona Global Campus does not lead to immediate teacher licensure in any state. If you want to become a classroom teacher, contact your state’s education authorities prior to enrolling at the University of Arizona Global Campus to determine what state-specific requirements you must complete before obtaining your teacher’s license.
Certain degree programs may not be available in all states.