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WGU Indiana Student Spotlight: Rachel Everest

Rachel Everest found her passion in special education after working with elementary school children diagnosed with severe and significant needs.

Nov 19, 2019

Rachel Everest found her passion in special education after working with elementary school children diagnosed with severe and significant needs. As a way to continue to serve those in need of extra support, Rachel turned to WGU Indiana’s Teachers College to further her education and career in special education.

With the help of the WGU Indiana Sage Scholarship, Rachel is working toward her Bachelor of Arts degree in special education (mild to moderate). Learn more about her story below.

What led you to pursue a degree with WGU Indiana? I liked the fact that it was a competency-based education, and I could complete my work and courses while still working full time.  

What does this recent Sage scholarship mean to you? This scholarship means so much to me. I am currently working full time and paying for college out of my pocket. The Sage scholarship helps me stay on track financially and makes it possible to pay as I go without having to take out a loan. 

How has your past career experience helped you in pursuing a degree with WGU Indiana? I have worked in the special education setting for two and a half years now. That experience helped create a desire in me to pursue a degree in special education. Having that background and experience of working as a paraprofessional has helped me apply the knowledge I am learning from WGU Indiana to a classroom setting. 

What are your goals after graduation and how is WGU Indiana helping you reach them? My goals after graduation are to first get a job as a special education teacher and then to go after my master’s degree. WGU Indiana is helping me reach these goals by preparing me for what having my own classroom will be like. 

What challenges have you faced during your time pursuing a higher ed degree? My biggest challenge is balancing work, life, and completing courses. The type of education WGU Indiana offers makes this very manageable, but it still can be challenging to devote the right amount of time to each part of my life. 

Tell us about a mentor in your life. What role do they play in supporting your career pathway? The biggest mentor in my life is my program mentor. She supports and encourages me to complete my work on time and to be committed to my courses. There have been times when I have gotten overwhelmed by the course load, but she has helped to focus on everything one step at a time. I love how she celebrates alongside me after I get things done. It’s just great to have someone with you along the way. 

What advice do you have for others looking to further their education and career? I would say to do it! You don’t want to regret not taking the opportunity to go back to school if it’s presented to you at the right time. Break up courses into manageable steps and plan out when you want them to be completed by. This helps to keep you on track and stay motivated throughout the process. 

Just for fun, if you could be anything what would it be? If I could be anything I would want to be a Crossfit athlete. 

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