Alumni Newsletter - WGU Alumni Community - Western Governors ...

graduate spotlightsMichelle Cookcanon city, coloradoMichelle Cook and her family now live in the smalltown in Colorado where she grew up. Her mother isthe owner/director of a Montessori preschool; her dadwas a butcher at a local grocery. Michelle graduatedfrom high school as class salutatorian, attending collegefor over a year before earning a certificate in traveland tourism. She later went on to work in banking andthen married and started a family (now with threechildren), and owned and operated a pet store with herhusband. For one year, she became a substitute teacherwithout a degree under special license due to a teachershortage in a local district and was then hired as a“Thank you, WGU, for providing a perfect-fit,higher education program for me!”-WGU Alum, Michelle CookWendi PetersonTucson, ArizonaWendi Peterson moved from the windy city of Chicago,where she was born, to Tucson, Arizona, in 1992. Shepursued her teaching degree since graduating from highschool, taking courses off and on for over 26 years—from a community college, a state college, and finallyWestern Governors University. She has lived a busy life,raising a family and home-schooling her six children,teaching adults in a trade school, and tutoring elementary-agestudents. “Traditional full-time college wastaking too much time away from what was most importantto me,” she says. Afew years ago, a friendtold her about WGU,and Wendi says she wasexcited that she couldcontinue her educationat her own pace, andprioritize her family yetstill complete a degree.Wendi says she hit theground running in May2009 with an acceleratedplan of study. “I was determinedto finally reachspecial education paraprofessional for younger children.Michelle says the light bulb finally came on whenshe realized she wanted to take over as the preschoolteacher/director when her mom began planning retirement.Michelle earnedan associate’s degree inearly childhood educationand a director’scertification at a communitycollege. Thena chance conversationwith a neighbor aboutWestern GovernorsUniversity led Michelleto research WGU. Shediscovered that WGUwas launching a new bachelor’s degree in early childhoodeducation. She began her first term in July 2009in the ECE program and graduated in May 2011. “Whatan honor and privilege it has been to be a part of thefirst graduates of the ECE program… I am excited to sayafter having graduated from high school 24 years ago,I have finally earned my bachelor’s degree!” Michellesays she plans to continue a family tradition of instillinga love for learning in all of the children she teaches.“Thank you, WGU, for providing a perfect-fit, highereducation program for me!” •my goal of becoming a teacher,” she recalls. Along withher supportive family, Wendi credits the encouragementand support of her WGU mentor. Wendi says she knew“My experience with WGU has given me the confidenceto go forward and know that I can tackleanything life has waiting for me ... “-WGU Alum, Wendi Petersonshe would face challenges along the way—and she did,from sick kids to her husband changing jobs. Wendigraduated in April 2011 with a Bachelor of Arts, InterdisciplinaryStudies (K-8) degree. Twenty-six years afterbeginning this journey, Wendy says, “this little piece ofpaper that is more valuable to me than words can say,or student loans can quantify.” She adds, “My experiencewith WGU has given me the confidence to go forwardand know that I can tackle anything life has waiting forme, one task at a time.” •WGU Alumni Newsletter - summer 2011 | 9