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Check out the latest episode of the Wave Makers podcast!
By Mira Radovich, Senior Contributing Writer
What does it take to raise a family, work, and graduate with honors — all at the same time? For Rio Salado alum Kesha Shelton, the answer is discipline, support, and a whole lot of determination.
In the latest episode of the Wave Makers podcast, host Michelle Reese sits down with Shelton, a single mom, to learn more about how Rio Salado’s online classes gave her the flexibility to pursue an education while raising a family and working.
“I'm a mother first before anything, before I'm an employee, before I'm a student,” Shelton recounted in the podcast. “The thing that I like about Rio Salado is that I can do it on my own time. I've done in-person school before and it's not my cup of tea. But it is something that is really important to know - what kind of learner you are and what kind of lifestyle you have.”
Shelton, who graduated in Spring 2024 from Rio, discussed the importance of staying disciplined while pursuing her associate degree in early childhood education.
“I knew very early on I had to be very diligent in my efforts and be meticulous with the way that I curated my day,” Shelton recalled. “So as far as being on a set schedule, still flexible and allowing for life. But I did have to be very disciplined and make sure that I followed a similar routine every day.”
Shelton recounted how receiving support from community organizations helped her realize her goals.
“I definitely owe much gratitude to Dress for Success Phoenix, the Women’s Foundation for the State of Arizona and Live and Learn Arizona,” Shelton said. “Dress for Success Phoenix, they were super helpful to me even before I got into Rio Salado. When I first moved to the area, I had all my stuff in storage. I was able to obtain additional professional apparel for interviews and professional clothing while I was on the job.”
Today, Shelton is thriving at ASU, where she is double majoring in justice studies and mass communications.
“I was able to get into Barrett, The Honors College, and I still have a 4.0 GPA,” Shelton said. “I’ve been on the dean’s list twice, so (I’m) keeping up the momentum from Rio. I'm taking some awesome classes right now, and things are going really great.”
Get ready to meet Kesha Shelton and be inspired by a story that defines what it means to make waves.