Among them is Wendy Batterton, a senior public health major. Batterton has worked multiple jobs in the past and returns to school to further her education, hoping to become the lead sanitarian at her current job
“I was an athletic trainer for years, until I had my child. When I had her, I stopped that until she got into high school. When Covid hit, I needed to figure out what I want[ed] to be when I grow up,” she says.
Her passion for helping and educating others is what drives her to pursue this path.
“I’ve always done some kind of education in health, whether it was my athletes asking me about nutrition or preventing diseases. When I saw that Southern had the education part of public health I thought, ‘Oh that’s a perfect fit’,” she says.
Batterton currently works as a sanitarian for The Torrington Health district.
“It’s an interesting job, and it’s never the same every day. I love it, I love the constant change,” she says.
In her free time, Batterton enjoys reading mystery books, learning new recipes and volunteering to help raise money for different organizations such as diabetes, service dogs and the cancer society.
“I’ve been volunteering for the past 30 years, this coming year I will run the state for that organization,” she says.
However, Batterton is not the only student who is pursuing the non-traditional path back to school. There is also sophomore history major Antonio Cotas who is pursuing a secondary degree in education as well.
Cotas, 32, also worked many different jobs in the past. This allowed him to try and get a better understanding of what he was truly passionate about.
“I was traveling and I started listening to history podcasts. I got into it and started discussing with other people and everyone was already convinced that I was already teaching high school at the time. It just clicked that it was something I wanted to do,” Cotas says.
Cotas started his education at Gateway Community College and then continued his education here. His new start at the university came with a lot of self-reflection.
“This time around, it’s something I want, something I’m passionate about,” Cotas says. “This is what I want to do, so I’m going to do it for myself.”
Cotas finds that self-motivation is his personal key to success.
Although making friends can be a struggle in a new place, Cotas does not feel like it’s been any different meeting new people and making friends on campus.
“It’s not difficult to communicate with people, it’s a learning experience. Just treat everybody the same, we’re all in the same place,” he says.
Cotas says that he plans to teach high school history after graduation.
Returning to the university is Chemique Jimenez, 38, a junior journalism major. She had always harbored a passion for learning, but circumstances had forced her to put her dreams aside.
Now, with her son grown and her responsibilities lessening, she yearned to immerse herself in the world of academia.
“Coming back as an adult and usually being the only adult in the beginning was intimidating. Now I take pride in my role as an adult looking to finish her degree,” she says.
Jimenez says that she does not regret anything in the past because it has allowed her to be the person she is today.
“The knowledge and experience I have makes part of who I am,” she says.
Outside of school, Jimenez works as a Site Manager at a laundromat.
“I’m in charge of schedules, inventory [and] making sure employees implement our task sheets,” she says.
However, in her free time she spends hours volunteering and organizing donations.
“I volunteer to be part of community base projects; [the] most recent one was at Kensington square, giving away clothes [at the] Christmas drive,” she says.
For Batterton, Cotas and Jimenez, college isn’t just about earning a degree — it is about reclaiming their dreams, rewriting their stories and proving that no matter where life takes you, it is never too late for a second chance.
