As a 43-year-old stay-at-home mother of three and the first in my family to graduate high school, pursuing a college degree has been both a personal dream and a powerful act of transformation. For years, I put my children first, guiding them through life with love, sacrifice, and hope that they will have opportunities I never had. But somewhere along the way, I realized that my own dreams still mattered and that it wasn’t too late to pursue them. And coming from parents who did not graduate from high school, let alone go to college, I had no guidance in doing so for myself. I was left to figure life out while my friends’ parents took them on trips to visit campuses across the country.

Returning to school for the second time at this age and phase of life is no small task. I juggle coursework with potty training, school drop off and pick up, groceries, and dinner. I study late at night after tucking my children into bed and I do it not just for myself, but to show them that learning never stops and that it’s never too late to change your story. There are many others like me; quietly determined, often overlooked, working hard in the shadows. We are reshaping what a “college student” looks like. I hope institutions, policymakers, and communities continue to make space for us non-traditional students whose experience brings depth, resilience, and value to higher education. Education is not just for the young. It’s for the brave. And I’m proud to be among them.

Maria Charmack

Greenfield