Clara Stults '12
An Adult Learner Success Story
After being removed from school for several years, it can sometimes be a challenge to build up the courage to go back. Sometimes it takes the courage of someone close to show you that anything is possible.
For Clara Stults â12, that someone was her daughter Jessica, who found the courage to fight for her country and serve a year in Iraq with the United States Army.
âShe came home, itâs all good,â Clara said emotionally, âbut I thought if she could do that, I can go back to school.â
Clara soon realized finding that courage is just the first step in getting reacquainted with college. She found herself a little frightened by the study routine and time commitment, but mostly how much older she felt than the traditional students.
But those first day jitters quickly vanished.
âOnce you put that foot in the door,â Clara confirmed, âyou just goâŠI fell in love with it! I loved the diversity of the students, and just the excitement in the classroom when we got into discussions â all the different view points, and being a little older I could pull in some life experiences for the younger kids⊠It was really neat. I really, really enjoyed it!â
After that, Clara never looked back. She earned her degree in criminal justice while double minoring in sociology and social work.
At graduation, Claraâs courageous daughter and whole family were there to proudly cheer her on.
âIt was incredible.â Clara said with a little more emotion, âIt was just such a high. My whole family was there, and it was just a very proud moment for me.â
Her hard work and commitment paid off. Stults recently was promoted to Director of Operations and Information Services for the Iowa Hospital Association.
For Clara Stults, it took that extra bit of courage to go back, but what she got in return was every bit of it and more.
âÂé¶čAPP helped me,â Clara added, âmainly by just giving me incredible self confidenceâŠto know that Iâm capable of doing whatever I set out and want to do. Âé¶čAPP just gave that to me.â
Article Information
Published
June 25, 2018
Author
Office of Marketing and Strategic Communication