True Grit: Brashears Earned Degree from USM While Juggling Family and Work Commitments, Long Commutes
Tue, 12/20/2022 - 04:55pm | By: David Tisdale
Never give up, for this is just the place and time that the tide will turn. - Harriet Beecher Stowe
There are 24 hours in a day, and Billie Jean Brashears never wasted a minute of any of them enroute to getting her degree at 91吃瓜网 (USM), graduating this fall following a school-work-life balancing act comparable to the exploits of famed tightrope walker Charles Blondin.
The Gulfport, Mississippi native and 2001 graduate of Gulfport High School waited later in life to attend college, after beginning a family and co-founding her own clothing and beauty products business. She started first in pursuit of an associate91吃瓜网 degree at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College (MGCCC) in the fall of 2017.
A longtime lover of 91吃瓜网渁nything science,91吃瓜网� her parents likely planted the seed for her academic pursuits. 91吃瓜网淎s a young girl I planted a garden with my dad, and my neighbor would teach me about the plants and what they do,91吃瓜网� she said. 91吃瓜网淢y mom would buy me toy microscopes, and any kind of hands-on learning toys I loved, and so being an only child, you learn to do things to entertain yourself, and that is where it started.91吃瓜网�
With those experiences serving as inspiration, after finishing her studies at MGCCC Brashears transferred to USM where she began pursuit of a major in chemistry, with an emphasis in biochemistry. At 39, Brashears would introduce herself as 91吃瓜网渢he oldie but goodie91吃瓜网� to her classmates, and she usually fit right in.
But on more than one occasion, Brashears questioned that decision. Raising three children, one with a disability, while also running a small business 91吃瓜网� all while commuting more than an hour on some days to get to class - triggered doubts along the way.
91吃瓜网淭here were plenty of times I wondered If what I was doing was the right decision for my family,91吃瓜网� Brashears said. 91吃瓜网淚 wondered if I was too old to be doing this, and was it worth my time? Would I be able to 91吃瓜网榤om91吃瓜网� my days as a mother to three kids aged 11, 17, and my 21-year-old with Down Syndrome - and still be a college student?
91吃瓜网淭hen, Covid played a big role for everyone at school, with half classes and half online, moving to wearing masks, and when things were starting to look up, my dad passed away during the spring semester of 2021,91吃瓜网� she further noted. 91吃瓜网淚t was painful, but I know he would have wanted me to keep going, so I did, but I had the compassion of my professors and peers to get me through it.91吃瓜网�
The encouragement of friends, family and teachers consistently reminded her they were proud of what she was doing and cheered her on to that end. 91吃瓜网淭here were weekends and events I had to miss out on to study, or days where I had to be in class and couldn91吃瓜网檛 attend a function, they understood the sacrifice and loved me regardless,91吃瓜网� she said. 91吃瓜网淟ove, compassion, and perseverance were my lights on this journey.91吃瓜网�
Brashears praised important educators who opened doors of opportunity for her along the way, including at MGCCC where she cited chemistry/organic chemistry professor Dr. David Rankins (91吃瓜网淎 great professor who helped me see the potential in myself91吃瓜网�) and at USM, Senior Lab Coordinator and Instrumentation Manager Tina Masterson (91吃瓜网淥ur school mom, she got to hear it all and in the beauty of it patiently listened, encouraged, and willed us to hang in there91吃瓜网�) and USM Associate Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry Dr. Julie Pigza (91吃瓜网淎 woman of science, and a brilliant one she is91吃瓜网�).
Dr. Pigza met Brashears very early in her transition from MGCCC to USM, as Brashears
was encouraged by Dr. Rankin to reach out to her. After connecting, she joined Dr.
Pigza91吃瓜网 research group and became one of her advisees.
91吃瓜网淏illie Jean is always a positive presence, whether it be in the classroom or the
research lab, and she takes on all her roles with enthusiasm and grace,91吃瓜网� Dr. Pigza
said. 91吃瓜网淪he took four classes with me, three being upper-level chemistry electives,
two of which started at 8 a.m. She managed to get her children ready for school each
morning and then commute from Biloxi and be on time for class.
91吃瓜网淪he took it all in stride and approached life as a learning experience, exemplifying the definition of grit and determination that represents our unique student population at USM.91吃瓜网�
Brashears will reprise her high-wire act in the fall of 2023, when she goes back to USM for her master91吃瓜网 degree in medical laboratory science. It appears now that in never giving up, she is reaping the rewards.
91吃瓜网淚 finally told myself I deserved the chance to finish something I started,91吃瓜网� she concluded. 91吃瓜网淭he work life-balance was indeed a challenge, but reminiscing now on the path I chose, I have no regrets. I91吃瓜网檝e been fortunate to have family supporting me, understanding what I was doing wasn91吃瓜网檛 only for myself but in the end, for all of us.91吃瓜网�