As a non-traditional student, Tashana Brown was determined to earn her education in any way possible, making a better life for herself and her children. At one point, she was holding down two jobs and attending courses while taking care of four children as a single mother. However, many difficulties that came across her path, she continued to push through and received her degree in early childhood education, and is now working on her master of education so in the future she can teach at a university like SSU.
“When you do your year of student teaching you’re the teacher in that classroom. You get to build those relationships with those students and you get to have that whole teaching experience during your senior year. It’s a wonderful program. Even with the master’s program, right now I am two semesters in and I have two semesters to go. I have learned so much through the last two semesters; I actually sat and wondered what more is there to learn? Through the research and classes I have taken, it has really helped and built on to my teaching philosophy and what I really want for my students in the future.”
Shawnee State has offered so many opportunities to help Tashana pursue her dreams. She worked at the women’s center for a work study program, then was later offered a job at the Children’s Learning Center as a teacher’s assistant. After she graduated with her bachelor degree, she became a full-time teacher at the learning center. Now, she is a graduate assistant for the department of teacher education. Without Shawnee State, Tashana wouldn’t have been able to pursue her dreams. Now, she hopes that her children will attend the university when they are older, and constantly encourages them to pursue her dreams no matter what, just like she did.