Learning gives limitless opportunities
Jennifer Wilkerson
Age: 37
Occupation: Secondary administrator, Arbor Christian Academy

Where did you receive your education?
High School: Borger High School; College: West Texas A & M University, bachelor's degree in education, master's degree in education counseling and working on master's degree in education administration.

How has your education played a role in your life today?
Funding my education. There wasn't extra money in our family's budget to cover college expenses. I overcame through hard work. My family sacrificed and I sacrificed, and we worked extra to make college happen. I got a job and I worked harder in school to get scholarships.

What was your greatest educational challenge and how did you overcome it?
My greatest educational challenge came during Ph.D. training, when I first stepped into the research laboratory and tried to hold a pipette and use other unfamiliar laboratory equipment. I broke a big piece of laboratory equipment in the first month. I overcame this by working even harder.

What is the value of your education?
There is no value that you can put on education; it is priceless because it is immeasurable. You can count the number of credit hours, the number of degrees and the number of accomplishments, but you can't count the value education puts on your life. The beauty of its value is that it can't be lost or taken away; once you attain it, it is yours to keep.

What would you say to someone who's undecided about continuing their education?
You are limiting your opportunities. If you decide not to further your education, you close doors for yourself. The more education you have, the more opportunities you have.

When did you make education a priority?
I have always made education a priority. I knew that I wanted to be a teacher in fifth grade and from that time I began to view education and learning from a different perspective. I always want to know how much more I can learn.

What made you realize the importance of education in your life?
I grew up in difficult circumstances, and I recognized by working hard in school and striving to achieve I could overcome those circumstances and create a better life for my family and me.

Did you ever think of quitting? What made you keep going?
I did think about quitting, but those were fleeting thoughts because my desire to achieve great things was greater than a simple temptation to quit. My life has been made better by education, and I think that I have been able to make others' lives better through education as well. The sacrifices were certainly worth the gain.