For Katrell J., pursuing her dream meant making one of the hardest decisions of her life — letting her daughter live full-time with her former husband so she could attend school full-time. A U.S. Army veteran, Katrell is no stranger to sacrifice, but this one was personal.
After 15 months deployed in Iraq and years of grueling work in a correctional facility, Katrell recognized that in order to build a better future, she would need to fully commit to her education. That meant choosing to be away from her daughter—a decision she made not just for herself, but for the future of her family.
“I worked at a prison for 6 and 1/2 years. I worked 12-hour shifts, and that took away from me being a parent,” she said. “In order for me to actually pursue this dream of mine, I had to allow her to stay with her father full-time.”
Despite the emotional toll, Katrell embraced the idea that being “selfish” in the short term could mean long-term gain for her and her daughter.
“Take the time that you need to. If you have to be selfish, be selfish because it’s not—you’re not doing this for you, it’s for your family,” she said.
When she discovered West Coast University-Miami, she felt an instant connection.
“From the first conversation to coming in and doing the walk on campus — everything smooth and it felt like family, like community.”
Now, with the support of programs like Peer-Assisted Learning and a renewed purpose, Katrell is on the verge of giving back in the most meaningful way. PAL tutoring at WCU is a peer-led academic support program where students who excelled in earlier courses help their classmates succeed in those same subjects. These PAL tutors are carefully selected based on their strong academic performance and their ability to communicate difficult concepts in a way that resonates with fellow students.
“I’m just so excited for the day to come where I can actually take those tools and use it and have somebody say, ‘Thank you, you helped me,’” she said.
WCU provides career guidance and assistance but cannot guarantee employment. The views and opinions expressed are those of the individuals and do not necessarily reflect the beliefs or position of the school or of any instructor or student.
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