High school dropout earns GED, bachelor's degree
by Josh Cox
UACCB Freelance Writer
BATESVILLE – Angela Goodwin, then Angela Middleton, dropped out of Batesville High School during her senior year in 1995. "I didn't really see the point of graduating," she said. "I already had a job."
Goodwin struggled through high school with poor grades, failing many of her classes. She tells of how neither of her parents graduated from college so she was never really motivated in that area.
After turning 18, she got married and soon after, became pregnant.
"It was hard going to class already but then I struggled with morning sickness and could never catch the bus."
Later, after getting remarried, she got a job working for a Youth Home. "My husband and I encouraged the kids (at the home) to get their GED," she said, "and I realized, I didn’t have mine."
So Goodwin decided to take the GED exam. "I did so well, they offered me a scholarship that would pay for two years of college," she said. "What did I have to lose?
"It was Nancy Whitmire that really motivated me at that point. Her enthusiasm and encouragement really helped me go to college."
It was weird, at first, being back in school, but she knew what she had to do. She worked part time, but balancing homework, a job, and a family became difficult.
"It was tough, but my husband and my family were very supportive," she said. "It was actually fun coming home and doing homework with my kids.
"The teachers at UACCB were incredible. They helped me and listened to me when I had problems. My accounting advisor, Tracy Broadwater, was the best instructor and friend one could hope for."
After graduating from UACCB with an associate's degree, she was told that with government grants and a transfer scholarship, she could get two more years of college for only a small loan. Now, she was very motivated! She enrolled at Lyon College and began working on her bachelor's degree.
"Because I had an associate's degree, I could now get a job at Pepsi," she said. "They were so great! They worked with my schedule as I went back to school and really understood what I was working through at that time."
While working on her bachelor's degree things were tough – balancing class and job schedules and spending more time away from her family.
"I would go to class until 2 p.m. then work from 2 p.m. until 8 p.m.," she said. "I really missed eating dinner with my family…It took me 3 years to get my degree. But the teachers were very helpful; especially Cassie Creighton and Allen McNamee."
Goodwin graduated in May 2008 with a bachelor's of science in accounting. "One week after I graduated I got a job with G.W. Palmer Logistics. They offered me a great job," she said. "They agreed on the salary I asked for and included benefits.
All of her hard work paid off. "I love spending evening's home with my family now and my job is great! I encourage everyone that wants to try going back to school to get their start at UACCB!"
