This weekend at the NACUBO (National Association of College and University Business Officers) Annual Meeting, I had one of those moments that reminds you why stories matter.
A woman shared that she was a first-generation college student who graduated at the age of 48. Today, she works in a university business office helping students fulfill their own dreams of earning a degree.
As I listened, I wasn’t just hearing her story.
I was remembering my Mom.
Mom was also a first-generation college graduate. She was a single mother who earned her degree from Missouri Western State University in 1982 at the age of 30…with a seven-year-old daughter watching.
I was that little girl.
At seven years old, I couldn’t possibly understand what her determination would mean for my future. I only knew that Mom was going to school.
Looking back now, I realize she wasn’t just earning a degree.
She was changing the trajectory of our family.
Because she believed education mattered, I grew up believing it mattered too. That belief shaped my choices, my career, and ultimately the opportunities I’ve had throughout my life.
One woman’s courage became another generation’s possibility.
Years later, I had the privilege of creating the Helping Adult Learners Excel (H.A.L.E.) Scholarship in honor of my Mom and the Hale family who believed in her when she needed support the most.
The scholarship exists to help first generation single moms to pursue the same opportunity that transformed our family. It’s a reminder that education is more than a diploma—it is hope, possibility, and often the beginning of an entirely different future.
Listening to that NACUBO story this weekend reminded me that behind every student is a story we may never know.
A single mom attending evening classes.
A first-generation student wondering if they belong.
Someone returning to school after decades away.
Someone taking a chance on themselves.
Sometimes we underestimate the impact of choosing to rise because we can only see today’s struggle.
But years later…
A daughter reflects on her mother’s courage.
A scholarship helps another student.
A woman tells her story on a conference stage.
And someone in the audience remembers why hope matters.
That’s the beautiful thing about HigherRelevance™.
It’s not just about becoming more relevant in our careers or rediscovering our purpose.
It’s about remembering who we are, aligning with what matters most, and having the courage to rise—because we never know whose life will be different because we did.
My Mom probably thought she was earning a college degree.
She was actually creating a legacy.
And for that, I will always be grateful.
Who is someone whose courage changed the trajectory of your life?