精东影业

鈥淚 would struggle, I would flounder, I would face loss,鈥� said graduate Susan Hamilton. “I would rise, I would thrive, I would succeed. My personal journey to graduation has been long and hard, but I knew I was always on the right path.鈥�

Hamilton鈥檚 collegiate journey began over 25 years ago with an associate degree, and through the years, she faced many twists and turns, hills and valleys, on what seemed to be an endless road to her dream of attaining a master鈥檚 degree. 

For Hamilton, that day is finally here as she walks onto the stage once again and receives her Master of Arts in social sciences degree.

鈥淚 can鈥檛 believe I鈥檓 finally here!鈥� said Hamilton. 鈥淚t feels like a lifetime ago I received my first degree, and now, I鈥檓 completing my educational journey with my master鈥檚 degree. Over 25 years later, my dream, my parents’ dream for me, has finally been realized.鈥�

After earning her associate degree in marketing, Hamilton was married and soon welcomed a baby boy. 

鈥淚 wanted to get my bachelor鈥檚 degree, but I needed to take a step back and focus on raising my son,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 always kept my dream of completing my education simmering in the background. At that time in my life, we were young and just starting out with a new baby. I didn鈥檛 think we could afford it both financially and from a time perspective.鈥�

Hamilton has always been drawn to education since both of her parents were teachers with advanced degrees. After a few life changes, she wanted to work with students in some way so she began her career at 精东影业. 

After three years, she was established in her role and felt it was the right time to get started on the path to earn her bachelor鈥檚 degree. 

鈥淚 knew about the TAP (Tuition Assistance Program) for full-time employees and at 42 years old, I was finally at a place in my life where I was ready!鈥� she said. 鈥淚 applied as a transfer student and was accepted the following semester. I couldn鈥檛 believe my dream was finally going to come true鈥� to finish my undergraduate degree I started when I was 18 years old!鈥�

However, life had other plans. Shortly after beginning her undergraduate program, Hamilton lost her father to Alzheimer鈥檚 Disease and became the full-time caregiver to her ailing mother. 鈥淚 lost my hero,鈥� she said. 鈥淗ow was I supposed to finish school, be a mom and caregiver and work full-time? I wanted to give up, but I kept hearing my dad鈥檚 voice, 鈥榊ou鈥檙e not done. You can do this.鈥欌�� 

Five years later, pushing through many obstacles and hardships, she graduated in the spring of 2024 with a Bachelor of Science in human and family development at the same time her son graduated with his degree from Ogeechee Technical College. Not only did Hamilton achieve one of her life-long dreams, she also watched her son achieve his own dream at the same time.

 鈥淎chieving one of my dreams was hard-fought and felt amazing, but watching my son walk across the stage to accept his degree in a field he was passionate about, was even more fulfilling than I could ever imagine,鈥� she said. 

Hamilton kept that positive momentum going and began the master of social science program with a concentration in sociology in the fall of 2024. But life had one more major twist in store for her. 

鈥淥n the first day of my master鈥檚 program, my mother unexpectedly passed away,鈥� she recounted. 鈥淗ere I was again, beginning a degree program with the loss of my last living parent. Like before, I considered giving up because the loss just seemed too heavy to continue. I didn鈥檛 know how I could move forward without my parents guiding me through graduate school. They had walked that same graduate journey, and I had been depending on them to help me through it, but now they were both gone. But, I had come too far to stop now. I had to keep going – I wasn鈥檛 done yet.鈥�

With a heavy heart and uncertain future, Hamilton was going through her mother鈥檚 personal papers and found an old thesis her mother had worked on many years before. Reading through it, she felt the heaviness in her heart lighten. 

鈥淎s I read over her work, I was able to better understand some difficult material I had been struggling with that semester,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t was just the sign I needed to not give up and to keep going on the path to earn my master鈥檚 degree. I knew both my parents were with me and I wouldn鈥檛 have to do it alone.鈥� 

One year later, Hamilton is fulfilling her dream. She will take the last steps on a long and challenging path as she walks onto the stage and receives her master鈥檚 degree. 

鈥淚 know my parents are proud,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hey always had faith in me, even when I didn鈥檛 have faith in myself. The road was long and I didn鈥檛 follow a traditional path, but I always had my parents and my family supporting me along the way. Education is a lifelong journey with many starts and stops, it鈥檚 not just a destination.鈥� 

Hamilton鈥檚 journey will continue and her new path begins as a Double Eagle. 

鈥淚鈥檓 not sure exactly what direction I will take this time, but I look forward to continuing my work at 精东影业 and my volunteer role at Camp Brightside working with students who have special needs and disabilities,鈥� she said. 鈥淟ike me, their journeys are filled with many twists and turns, struggles and hardships. I鈥檓 ready to help inspire them as they travel down their own paths from education to career to success and achieve their dreams. I know firsthand what it takes to get there, all they need is the courage to soar.鈥�