Living in the small town of Okeechobee, Florida — which boasts a population of less than 6,000 people — Kathryn O’Neal’s options for higher education were a bit limited. She’d had her daughter Hailey at a relatively young age and from the time Kathryn was 20, she’d attempted to go back to college multiple times. 

But the fact that she had to drive at least one hour each way to go to classes made fitting everything in nearly impossible. 

Were it not for a foxhole Katelyn Campos dug as a member of the U.S. Army stationed in Fort Carson, Co., she may never have discovered Ashford University*. 

“It was the best five-by-five-foot foxhole you could imagine,” recalls Katelyn, who says her work received praise from sergeants, captains, and other higher ups. 

One evening after the dig, she was sharing stories with a sergeant who told her about his experience earning an online degree at Ashford University. 

At nearly nine months pregnant and while completing her third degree at Ashford University*, it would be an understatement to say that Jaime Pluta is good at being productive and staying on track. This mother of three is quite the expert. While many expecting moms might be focusing on what clothes and toiletries to include in their hospital delivery bag, Jaime has a different essential on her must-pack list. 

Heather Petty made all the right moves to become a successful grade-school teacher. But once she started teaching, she quickly found out she wasn’t as prepared for the job as she thought she should be. With the help of Ashford University*, Heather was able to fill in the gaps and become the teacher she wanted to be. 

Dana Nicole Roberto is used to taking care of people. She is the mother of a special needs son. She’s also the primary caregiver to her wheelchair-bound mother who lives with her. Even though she already has a lot on her plate, there is one more person Dana decided she needed to look after: herself.

“We all must put ourselves on the list,” she says. “We must decide we’re worth it and pursue our dreams.”

A serious health concern changed Crystal Hudson’s whole life. But it also brought her a new sense of purpose and a determination to help others suffering from illness. At Ashford University*, she found the tools to help put her life back on track and pursue her new passion.

Having done stints at various community colleges in the San Francisco Bay Area, Colette Samimi had fallen into the mindset that she couldn’t go back to school. The married mother of two thought she didn’t have the time or money to return to her studies.

“I didn’t have a lot of support from family, no one saying, ‘Yes, you can do this,’” she says. “With taking care of kids and working full-time, I just thought I didn’t have the time to spend sitting in class.”

Burnita Bluitt retired early from a career that included jobs at some of the most prestigious companies in the U.S. before finding Ashford University* and her passion for writing. 

There were plenty of compelling reasons for April Viescas-Lopez to return to school and complete her bachelor’s degree, but ultimately, it was a desire for personal fulfillment that prompted April to enroll at Ashford University*.

Anita Gotcher enrolled at Ashford University* through her company’s Education Partnership with Ashford. She had always wanted to go back to school, but “just the right time” never seemed to happen. Instead, life happened. After graduating with an undergraduate degree in 1997, she went to work, got married, had a child, survived cancer, and finally, started working at Dignity Health. Throughout everything, she held fast to the idea that she would pursue her master’s degree one day. Dignity Health provided that opportunity.