Student Stories

Alayna Levie and her twin sister started running when they were eight years old. It’s a passion that has remained constant, and The University of Alabama’s online degree programs have allowed Alayna to keep running as she advances her education. After graduating from high school in 2006, Alayna began working full-time in retail. “I knew...

 

After one semester, Sydney Fussell decided the small college she had chosen wasn’t the right fit for her, but she didn’t let it disrupt her progress. She moved home and completed her spring semester at a local community college before transferring to The University of Alabama as a sophomore in Fall 2018. She completed her...

 

After earning her bachelor’s in Biology from Tuskegee University in 2014, Ashlyn Goodwin returned to her high school alma mater to teach. She had planned to only teach for a few years as a break from school before pursuing the requirements for a career in dentistry. The problem? She fell in love with education. “I...

 

As a high schooler, Brayden Emerick dreamed of attending The University of Alabama for her undergraduate education. But her plans changed, after starting her freshman year at Spring Hill College in Mobile, she transferred to Virginia where she earned her bachelor’s degree at Old Dominion University. Brayden’s love for learning compelled her to continue her...

 

After Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans, Maleka and Eric Beal relocated to Texas for two years to recover and rebuild.  While in Texas, they realized a passion for learning and nutrition that transformed their lives in more ways than one. “While we were displaced, we lost nearly 300 pounds,” Maleka explained. “Everything we had tried...

 

Born and raised in Thaxton, Mississippi, Kevin Carwyle was finishing up his associate degree in Drafting Design and Technology at Itawamba Community College in 2001. He wanted to complete a bachelor’s degree, but he was concerned about the cost. A friend from work suggested he join the National Guard since they offered a signing bonus...

 

When Tracy Haraway went to Judson College after high school, she had dreams of a rewarding career in education. She was going to earn her degree in English and later pursue the components necessary to become a teacher, but her plans changed on the way to her degree. “I realized there was a little more...

 

Gabe Burns graduated from high school in West Palm Beach, Florida, in 2003. He took a few college business classes, but wasn’t sure what he wanted to do professionally. After completing the necessary training and working as an EMT and volunteer firefighter for a few years, he ended up in sales for a major power...

 

Cindy Gellins grew up in a military family and moved around every three years throughout her childhood for her dad’s assignments. She is the oldest of four girls, and her mother’s secondary language is English. These aspects of her life posed unique challenges to Cindy’s success in grade school. “I struggled a lot. I never...

 

In 1992, the same year the Crimson Tide won its 12th national football title, Aundrea Self Nichols was a college student in Tuscaloosa, double-majoring in English and mass communications at Stillman College. In her roles as Miss Stillman and an Alpha Kappa Alpha soror, Aundrea was familiar with The University of Alabama’s campus life and...