ADULT EDUCATION UPDATE Want More. Want Better for Your Life. DC Adult education student continues life of education with degree in criminal justice
Shemeka Owens was a single mother, ready to make a better life for herself and her kids. “I had always wanted to go back and I tried, but I was going through so many different mental stages that I wasn’t focused,” she said “I was tired of sitting around, I wanted more. I wanted bet- ter for my life and my kids. Shemeka signed up for the Adult Education Program at Dominican Center and through the program’s part- ner MATC, she graduated and earned her GED in 2018. And that was only the beginning of her education journey. She graduated in May with her Associates of Art in Criminal Justice from MATC and she’s been accepted to UW-Mil- waukee to continue her education and complete her bachelor’s degree. “Shemeka is wonderful, I am so excited for her,” said DC Education Coordinator Bar- bara Wells. “I think she likes wearing a cap and gown.” Shemeka says she owes her success and her degrees to her perseverance and hard
work. “I had crying days, but I did it,” she said. “You might have hard days, especially if you have kids, but you have to keep trying.” She said that being a single mother to five kids was a lot to manage when going to class and put- ting in the work to earn your degrees. She said that prayers and help from her support system helped her on hard days and that resources like free childcare allowed her to focus on her education and attend classes. When Shemeka finishes her education, she wants to be a police officer. “I want to make a difference. There isn’t enough color on the force. I can’t make a change, but I can make a difference,” she said. “Well maybe I can make a change!” She wants others thinking about going back to school to know that it is always worth it and it is never too late. “It is not easy. I had a moment that I wanted to give up, but I kept trying. Stay focused and don’t let any- thing come pass you, keep on pushing.”
Shemeka Owens earned her AA in criminal justice in May 2022 from MATC. She will be continuing her education at UW-Milwaukee.
For more: www.dominican-center.org/education-well-being To donate or sponsor an adult education kit for our students visit: https://bit.ly/DCeducationkits
Shemeka is pictured here (left) with Dominican Center classmates as she earned her GED in 2018.
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