A great education often comes not from what we take from the classroom, but from what we bring to it. In the case of Dana Ray, 46, her life experiences as real estate professional, community volunteer and mother of two led to an Everest College scholarship as well as an appearance on The Tyra Banks Show.
Ray, a resident of Yucca Valley, California, had been a real estate professional for 10 years when she lost her job due to the failing economy. While planning to return to school—she had started college years earlier but never completed her degree—she started volunteering at Unity Home, a shelter for women and children who’ve been victims of domestic violence. The experience proved so fulfilling that Ray decided to make community work her new full-time career objective.
While searching the Internet for information on college courses relevant to her new life plan, Ray happened upon a “Working Moms and Dads Scholarship” contest sponsored by ELearners. The contest called for qualified applicants to write an original 1,500-word essay on why they thought they should win the award. Intrigued, Ray composed a piece that explored her journey and emotional changes as she transitioned from real estate into charitable work.
The essay proved so moving that Ray was invited to appear on The Tyra Banks Show, the Emmy Award-winning daytime talk show syndicated to hundreds of local stations throughout North America. Ray and four other scholarship winners were flown to New York City for the taping, put up in a first-class hotel and attended a luncheon with representatives from five schools, each of which would select one candidate for the scholarship prize.
Dana Ray was selected by Everest College, through which she will pursue her associate’s degree in Criminal Justice. Ray chose to study through Everest’s online program so her class time would not interfere with her ongoing work with Unity Home. Everest is providing all books and study materials.
“I hope that I can be the difference in the kid’s and women’s lives,” Ray said about her community work. “I want to let them know that there are other options out there.”
For information about Criminal Justice and other degrees offered online by Everest, contact Everest College Online, a division of Everest College, Phoenix.
