I GOTTA BELIEVE

by Tyra Johnson

After finishing my Bachelor’s degree in Political Science in 1988, I wanted to continue on to get a Master’s degree. But life had other plans. Within a year of graduating, I moved to Atlanta, started working, got married, and got pregnant with my first child.

Earning my Bachelor’s degree had been such a great achievement and opened so many doors. I thought about law school, but after working for a criminal defense attorney for about 6 months, I decided that was not the route for me. Instead, I set my sights on my ultimate dream job – working for a judge.

Ten years after earning my B.S., my dream came true as I started working as a Judicial Case Manager for Judge Gail S. Tusan. I loved everything about working there - from the Judge, to learning the law, to maintaining the court calendar, and to my incredible office family.

In the back of my mind, I still dreamed about getting my Master’s degree, but by this time, I had been married 9 years, and had 2 kids and a husband that required my attention. I didn’t want to go back to school while my kids were young because “mom” needed to be available for them. So, caring for the kids and hubby was my top priority; managing my job at the courthouse was my second priority; and I pushed getting my Master’s degree to the back burner again.

My second chance finally came ten years later (20 years after my Bachelors’s dgree) while I was working for the Judge. My family, the Judge, and so many others gave me the encouragement and the push I needed to enroll in the online Master’s program, first at Phoenix University, then at Capella University. My focus was Criminal Justice.

My dream didn’t come easy. The research, the quotes, citations, and other writing requirements were a little overwhelming. I often found myself asking “what have I gotten myself into?” Thankfully, a co-worker kept me motivated and my daughter kept telling me “You can do this, you got this!” I finally settled down and got into the rhythm of school.

And, just when I thought I had the hang of it, life obstacles stepped in and created more challenges. My husband’s job announced a plant closure, which would require us to either except a buy-out or move. The choices before us – Kentucky or Chicago. We chose Kentucky. This was a big change and a big move for my family, a change in jobs for me, new schools for the kids, and a new way of life for all of us.

But, after 20 years of waiting to see my dream come true, I was determined to keep going and there was no turning back. By the time we actually moved to Kentucky, I had already finished 2 semesters. Holding my feet to the fire, I kept pushing forward while balancing family, work, and other duties.

All my hard work and determination finally paid off when I was awarded my Master’s degree in Criminal Justice two years later. It wasn’t easy, but I never allowed myself to stray or waiver from my goal.

Why? Because I always kept the dream in my heart. Somewhere deep down, I always knew I would return to school again. I just didn’t know when.

Everyone has a story of how they reached success despite distractions and hardships. My journey to getting a Master’s degree required me to move through many distractions and hardships, and took over 20 years – but at the end of the day, I finally made it!