Maverick Spot: Vivian Gulley

“Everyone is unique in their own way. NAU takes you for who you are,
no matter where you are.”

What does perseverance mean to you? Is it the will to keep going? Is it never giving up no matter what life hands you? For Vivian Gulley perseverance is the hope for a better life. A single mother with three kids, Vivian understands what it means to make sacrifices and to keep pushing through with little support. But when she decided to make a change and go to school to help her family have a better life, she found the support she needed, along with an unwavering determination inside of her. “I came to a point where I knew I could do it and there was no reason not to,” she said. “I love NAU, and wouldn’t go anywhere else. I feel like part of a family.”

And for Vivian a sense of family is near to her heart. She recognizes her youngest son, now five, as being a powerful source of inspiration for her. “I want to have a better life for him,” she said. “He keeps me going, he helps me persevere.”

Even in this past year, Vivian’s determination has been tested. After she lost her job and her home, she found the love and support she needed at NAU. “There were plenty of times I wanted to give up,” she said. “But I have NAU to turn to. Their support kept me going.”

Today Vivian is a student, a graduate, a tutor and an inspiration to those who surround her. “Everyone is unique in their own way. NAU takes you for who you are, no matter where you are.”