I am finally moving into my last year of college, and I couldn't be happier. I am 34 years old and have been working towards my degree for about 8 years, I have changed schools 3 times and I finally found the perfect school here at ECU. I first started out as a photography major through the art institute.

Then moved to Southern New Hampshire University and majored in communications at first, then changed it to English, and I was there for about 2 years. My financial aid ran out and the class was expensive. That's when my friend told me about ECU. She was a student and said it was a great school.

So I applied and got in, I am now back to a communications major with a minor in English. With only 9 classes left, I have a graduation date of spring 2020, which makes me very happy. This has been a long hard road, but all of the hard work is paying off and I will finally have my B.S in communications.

I have done so many things that have made me happy, I got married and will be celebrating my 9th wedding anniversary on new years eve, and I have 3 beautiful boys. I have done a lot. But finally graduating and having that degree I have worked so hard for will be the cherry on top of everything.

And since I have worked so hard and doing it all online and being a stay at home mom, I will walk in the graduation ceremony because I feel that I deserve to with all the hard work I have done. ECU has been such a great school, I have had such a positive experience here and I wouldn't change anything about it.

When spring 2020 comes it will be a bittersweet semester with only one class, and knowing that, I will be graduating after that class, Being here at ECU my confidence has grown because of all the positive feedback I have gotten from my adviser and my teachers.

Kieth Luke

Its just crazy to think that in a year I will finally be graduating, this has been a such a great experience, I have gotten to work in groups with some great people that have pushed me and I have done the same, my research skills have gotten better I wish I would have started at ECU when I first moved to NC back in 2009.

In the 8 years that I have been working to get my degree, I have gone through a lot, I have gotten married, had kids, lost my mother who raised me and my brother on her own. And even though graduating will be one of the happiest days of my life, it will also be a sad one knowing my mother won't be there to see me graduate and walk in the ceremony.

But I know she would be proud of me for what I have done in my life, and how hard I have work to get where I am at today.