As a mother of three, Kathryn McGlasson admits that sleep is one of the sacrifices she makes in order to attend Macomb and finish her degree. But Ellieanna, 10; Giovanni, 2; and Wilson Harry Morrison IV, five months, are the three reasons she gladly rubs her eyes and goes to class.
“I want to have a secure job so that I may provide for them and myself,” says McGlasson, 26. “Macomb offers room for me to advance and an opportunity to believe in a bright future. Here, I can find my first stepping stone to success.”
McGlasson attended Macomb previously, but took a break when Giovanni was born. During the past fall semester, she took classes strictly online as she prepared for Wilson’s birth in October. This semester, she is completing her last two classes and will graduate in May. Then, on to Oakland University to pursue a degree in psychology and a career as a substance abuse counselor, with hopes of eventually becoming a clinical psychologist.
“I like helping people,” says McGlasson. “I’ve known people who have gone through stuff, and I want to be the person that’s there for them.”
In her own life, McGlasson is grateful that her father has been there for her. He looks after the children when she is studying or at school and her partner, Wilson, is at work. She is also appreciative of the free academic resources that Macomb provides.
“The Reading and Writing Studio has helped me keep on track with my assignments,” she says, “and the Learning Center has given me a lot of assistance.”
McGlasson “likes to get things done and move on to new things,” she says, which is why online classes have worked well for her. But she still takes on-ground classes when she can, just to be connected to the campus environment that motivates and inspires her.
“I like the scenery and all the flowers, and the architecture is so cool,” says McGlasson. “Most of the teachers have been pretty great, too, and I’ve made a lot of new friends.”
In between talking about school and her family, McGlasson pauses to marvel at the number of “cute” baby clothes she has for her blued-eyed youngest. More, she says, than have ever hung in her own closet. And that to her is a cause for pride.
“All the kids take a lot of energy,” affirms McGlasson. “But I love them all and am proud to make them happy and to be a good mother. And although “balancing family time with school time has been a challenge,” McGlasson wouldn’t have it any other way. “Macomb Community College is one of the things in my life that I can wake up and look forward to. It’s been a really great experience,” she says. “It gives me hope that I can achieve something great for my family and I. I am thrilled to be getting my degree.”