Last updated on April 29, 2024
1998.
That’s the year Carmesia Washington started her educational journey at Dallas College, attending classes at the Mountain View Campus. However, she started a family and had a successful career working in IT, which put college on the backburner. Then, one day her high school-aged daughter pushed Washington to pursue her dreams of becoming a teacher.
Washington re-enrolled at Dallas College’s Cedar Valley Campus, earning her associate degree and is now part of the college’s second class to earn a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education. Washington is among the keynote speakers for the 2024 graduating class and will share her inspiring story during the 9 a.m. ceremony on Saturday, May 11.
“There’s so many emotions,” Washington said. “I’m just grateful that I was able to complete it. It’s been tough. It’s been really tough working full time. I have two children. One has graduated college himself, so it’s been tough. But the journey is worth it. It’s well worth it.”
Washington couldn’t have asked for a better experience than she got with Dallas College. The School of Education continues to be a leader in the industry for its innovativeness in becoming the first community college in the state to offer a bachelor’s degree in education.
Washington certainly noticed the program’s benefits as she was looking at various four-year options after earning her associate.
“I got that email that Dallas College was doing a four-year education program, so I went right back in it,” she said. “I had a great experience during that two-year time frame, so I felt like coming back and completing and getting that bachelor’s, I would have that same experience.”
Washington now feels “really, really ready” to begin her next chapter as a teacher in the classroom. She raved about the curriculum and professors in preparing her for the next step.
“The program is very accommodating,” she said. “I was able to continue my full-time job being a resident teacher. They have a program where you could be adaptive, where you can keep your current job, but you still have that time in classrooms to be able to be successful in the program.
“Tell them your goals, your plans, the things that you have going on and they will work with you.”
Washington said her time in the bachelor’s program reaffirmed what she always believed – she was destined to be a teacher. It took an unconventional and winding road, but she is excited to live out her dreams.
“I have second grade and I love it,” she said. “I wake up every day ready to go see my second graders.”
For any prospective students interested in pursuing a teaching career, Washington is among the many graduates who would endorse the program. After all, it’s hard to beat the price when you factor in the quality too.
“Dallas College is a smart choice,” she said. “One of the driving factors and the main factors for me was the cost. It’s very affordable. You have the option to take some of those courses online, so if you can’t actually get to a campus, you can still get that class work and that course work done online. So, cost and it’s just very, very accommodating to my schedule. I’m sure it would be to anyone else’s schedule.”