Sonja Burton is an adult student who started school in the fall of 1981 and is finally graduating this semester with a degree in Business Administration. Sonja dropped out of college to pursue other things when she was 18, but now she’s graduating with her degree at age 59.
“I was an Administrative Assistant for twenty-nine years,” said Sonja. When Sonja began looking for a new job, the process was more difficult than she imagined. “An opening came up in the city for an Administrative Assistant and I applied because I thought my twenty-nine years of experience would outweigh the degree they were requiring,” she said. Unfortunately, Sonja didn’t get the job, so she decided to apply for TN Reconnect.
Sonja has experienced many hurdles while pursuing her degree and working a full-time job at the same time. Several family issues even made Sonja reconsider her entire education. “My husband fell and shattered his leg, so I called to see if I could put the TN Reconnect scholarship on hold. Then my brother passed away and my mother passed away,” she said. “It’s been challenging.”
Thankfully, Sonja was able to finish many of her classes online and is now graduating with her Associate’s degree in Business Administration this semester. Visit our website if you would like to learn more about the TN Reconnect program.
