Shifting Fear into a Future

Working two jobs, raising a daughter, and feeling stuck in her career, Serenity James knew something had to change. After researching her options, she found an education model at WGU that fit her life—and opened doors she once thought might remain closed.

Serenity James knew she wanted more from her career.

She had spent years working as a pharmacy technician and was answering phones in a health insurance call center. She felt stagnant, and she could see a ceiling forming around both her income and her ability to make a larger impact.

“I felt that I would be stuck,” Serenity said. “My pay and my opportunities would be capped.”

What she wanted was not simply a different title. She wanted to move beyond fielding problems and become part of the solution.

So, Serenity started researching. She compared online universities, degree programs, costs, and learning models to determine what could realistically work for a mother who still needed to work and care for her young daughter. WGU’s self-paced, competency-based model stood out.

“I definitely did my research and made the best pick that made the most sense for me,” she said.

For Serenity, that flexibility was not simply convenient. It was what made returning to school possible.

“I don’t think I would ever really pursue college if there wasn’t a more flexible option,” she said.

A traditional campus would have required additional childcare, time away from work, travel, and a larger support system. WGU gave her a different path—one that could fit around the life she was already responsible for.

Five Minutes at a Time

Serenity eventually earned a Bachelor of Health Science degree and an MBA in Healthcare Administration from WGU, but getting there required discipline.

At one point, she was working a full-time remote job while also working part time at a Kroger pharmacy. Some weeks meant working seven days straight while still raising her daughter.

When there was an extra hour, she studied. When there were only five minutes, she learned to use those five minutes.

She also learned when to give herself permission to stop.

“There were times where I was super exhausted and overwhelmed,” she said. Sometimes the best thing she could do was take a break, reset, and return ready to keep going.

Her motivation also came from remembering what she had already survived. Serenity had previously experienced homelessness and periods when even basic necessities were uncertain. On difficult nights, that history became a reminder of her own resilience.

“You’ve been through worse, so you can get through this,” she would tell herself. “Some people dream of being able to go back to school. Why give that up just because one night I don’t feel like it?”

Her Program Mentor became another source of encouragement. Messages celebrating each completed course reminded Serenity that someone was watching her progress and rooting for her success.

The Stage Where It Became Real

Even as Serenity moved quickly through her courses, graduation somehow did not feel real.

Then came commencement.

Her daughter sat in the stands alongside Serenity’s parents and other family members. When Serenity heard her name called and she walked across the stage, years of work and sacrifice suddenly became tangible.

But when asked who was there with her that day, Serenity thought beyond the people in the audience.

“My inner child was there with me,” she said, “doing what she thought would never be done.”

Her mother cried. Her father proudly shared her story. And Serenity finally had a moment to see just how far she had come.