We know that our students’ lives and careers will take many turns after they graduate from National Louis University (NLU). While a student may begin their program at NLU with one career intention in mind, their experience can end up sparking growth in a completely new or unexpected way. That’s the case for Wendy Reed Randall, who earned her M.A. in Adult Education and Development from NLU in 2002. While this degree set her up for a prosperous career as a teacher and substance abuse counselor, it also proved the catalyst for her to write her memoir, Once There Was a Girl, which details her childhood growing up in New Orleans, LA.
Growing up in a housing project, Wendy was surrounded by intense poverty and dangerous circumstances, to which she saw many of her peers succumb. However, by her own determination, and with her strong Christian faith and the discipline of her mother, Wendy focused on her academics. She graduated high school and attended Dillard University, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in Spanish.
By the time she decided to return to school to earn her Master of Arts in Adult Education and Development, Wendy was a full-time mother and was looking for a school with a flexible online learning experience. That’s when she turned to NLU:
“I chose National Louis University as my university because of its innovative approach to online learning. I had researched NLU’s program in adult education and development and decided that it provided a well-researched approach to online learning. As a mother with a lot of responsibilities, I also wanted a program that made me feel like I was in the classroom while being remote. I often completed my assignments in the wee hours of the morning. Also, I wanted a program that though remote, felt like I was having an in-person classroom experience. National Louis University fulfilled my criteria.”
Wendy’s master’s degree from NLU helped set her up for a successful career as a teacher and substance abuse counselor. But it was a reflective essay she wrote for one of her courses at NLU that ended up changing her life:
“At one point, during my program, I responded to an assignment by writing a paper entitled ‘Once There Was a Girl.’ In this paper, I summarized my life growing up in abject poverty, surrounded by crime and the change that I experienced after having a glimpse of the world beyond where I lived. I shared the dreams I had as a child. In my paper, I wrote, “During my waking hours, I would ‘wander’ in a beautiful world where there was peace, tranquility, lots of food, a lovely house, a car, and two parents who really loved each other. Then, I went on to share some of the hardships we faced and how, ultimately, my life was positively impacted.”
“After I shared my paper with my cohort, their reception was encouragingly positive. I was motivated by their response to my paper, as they encouraged me to consider writing a book. Years later, with the encouragement of my husband, who gave me a small yellow legal pad, I started to write my story, Once There Was a Girl: A Memoir. From the time my book was published, at the end of 2020, to now, I have been using my story of hope, faith and perseverance to inspire others to remember that you are not your circumstances or your environment.”
The process of writing her memoir was not an easy one, though. In 2017, while she was still drafting her book, Wendy and her family received two devastating blows:
“As I worked on my book, life continued to happen,” Wendy says. “Our daughter was diagnosed with leukemia in May 2017, and my mother died in September 2017. When these sad events happened, I was in the middle of completing my first rough draft. I became a primary caregiver for our daughter, and I went with her to many doctors’ appointments. I decided to take my laptop with me, and I continued to write my story. Thankfully, our daughter overcame leukemia and is well. Also, at my mother’s funeral, I shared a short excerpt from my rough draft. Through tears, I managed to share the positive impact that my mother had on my life.”
Now, Wendy is self-employed as an author and uses her story to inspire others who may be going through hard times.
“I love that I can use my book’s message of faith, hope and perseverance to encourage and directly impact the lives of others,” Wendy says.
Wendy has a similarly positive and encouraging advice for currently NLU students:
“I would like to encourage National Louis students to always remember that your circumstances and environment do not define you. Choose to remain hopeful. Set goals and work daily to achieve them.”
Interested in our graduate degrees in education? You can also browse our complete list of degree programs, many of which are offered 100% online. If you’re interested in learning more about any of our programs, you can contact an Enrollment Specialist online or by calling (888) 658-8632.
Original source can be found here.
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