Melanie Arsenault
I am a full-time student at Saint Mary's University
I was in a job that I didn't enjoy, and it wasn't what I wanted to do.
You have to think, "Do I want to do this for the rest of my career? If not, what do I want to do?" I realized that to get in a situation I wanted to be in, I had to go back to school.
I want to work with women and children leaving domestic violence situations. I know there is a need there, and children are greatly affected in ways that people don't really understand, and I could not get that career with my current education.
I took SMU's University Prep English course to get the admission requirements I needed to get into university. I took the condensed course—a 12-week program taught in five weeks—and while it was a lot of hard work, the teacher was amazing, and everyone was so helpful.
I had been out of school for 18 years. I was so nervous my first day back, and my confidence was low as I was questioning my ability to go back to school. But with the support, guidance and teaching ability of the staff at the SMU Continuing Education department, I remembered that I am a smart person and that I could in fact succeed. And now I'm a full-time student on the way to the career I want!
