Student Spotlight: Diana Perkins

Diana initially thought that college would never be an option for her. After high school, she worked part time and went to school, but when her mother became ill, she put college on hold to take care of her full time.  During that time, she became a mother herself, continuing to care for her mother and for her children. Faced with other illnesses and tragedies in life, including the death of her fiancé after a battle with cancer, college understandably continued to be a distant dream for Diana. “The thought of college was long gone at this point. My main focus was taking care of my daughter to make sure she was going to be college bound.”
Diana’s daughter did go to college and received her associate’s degree and later transferred to a university to receive her bachelor’s degree. It was then that Diana thought about attending college again. “I tried going to community college and tried the classroom setting. But it wasn’t a great fit for me,” she said. “My daughter told me to not give up.”  Diana tried online classes through another university where I was getting my degree had problems getting my financial aid in order. She continued to look for another college where she could take online classes and found National American University. “This is the best decision I ever made. The instructors are great, I have plenty of time to do my classwork and I have a great adviser.”

But it was not always easy.  Another member of Diana’s family fell ill and she once again became a caretaker. Going through this tough time had an impact on Diana’s education and she was forced to take some time off, but she came back as strong as ever! “I was able to attend school again, and when I returned, I became an HONOR student!” Diana is expected to graduate next year with her bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice. “I never knew this day would come. I’m overwhelmed that National American University is making this a reality for me. I will forever be grateful!”

Keep checking back for more information on Diana’s success!