Back to school for a better future

June 6, 2019

Angie Bradley

Angie Bradley got a well-paying job at a factory right out of high school. She took college classes on and off over the years, but didn’t really see the need for a degree. Later, as her children grew, she felt guilty taking the time.

But when Angie was passed over for her dream job because it required a bachelor’s degree, she knew she needed to make a change.

“I decided never again would I not be able to have what I want in my career because of this,” Angie said. “Options and opportunities—that’s what I tell my kids that education provides. It’s easy to go to the quick money, but you have no idea what you’re going to come across down the road.”

Angie received an adult student scholarship from the Community Foundation after a coworker urged her to check into it. “Not having that financial burden up front is super nice. I could not have done my classes the last two years without the scholarship,” she said.

Now working toward a degree in psychology, Angie enjoys applying what she learns in class to her work in training and organizational development. She gets lots of support from her husband and children too. “They’re really proud of me,” she said. “I want to be able to tell my kids I did it.”

“You worry there will be a stigma to going back to school as an adult, but there’s not. People think it’s cool,” Angie said. “My advice to others? Start. Take one class. You don’t need to take six classes right now or have a career path planned out. Just start.”