Sharon Ellzey came to Graduate Memphis last semester with hopes of returning to school. With the help of our advising team, she applied to Southwest Tennessee Community College, where she will begin classes in the fall. Her inspiration for returning to school was the promise of a better life for her children and herself. She currently works as a medical assistant but seeks to further her education in the medical field by studying to be a Medical Laboratory Technologist. “My dream job would be working at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital,” she says.

Sharon, like many students, had to navigate the often tricky process of applying for and securing financial aid, which is where Graduate Memphis stepped in to assist. One of GM’s obligations to their students is to help them fill out the FAFSA, locate scholarship resources, and have a better understanding of financial aid before they begin classes. In fact, Sharon says the most difficult part of her journey thus far was waiting on financial aid to come through. She also cites being a single parent of 10-year old daughter and an 8-year old son as an obstacle she had to overcome in deciding to apply to school.

In Tennessee, those students who successfully complete an Associate’s degree at a community college will be automatically accepted into many of the state’s public universities. Sharon is planning on taking advantage of this opportunity upon graduating from Southwest.

Sharon has lived in Memphis most of her life. She enjoys the Memphis music, the parks, going to the zoo, and all of the historical areas. She also likes to cook and spend time with her children. Come this fall, it looks like she’ll be adding studying to the list! Good luck on your journey, Sharon!