WINTER PARK, Fla. — Doragnes Bradshaw strives to be a better person every single day. This is why she enrolled at Rollins College Hamilton Holt School.
- Doragnes Bradshaw graduated from Rollins' Hamilton Holt School
- Program meant for non-traditional students, like working mom Bradshaw
- Bradshaw now pursuing Master’s Degree in Business Administration
The Hamilton Holt School is a program which offers small classes in the evenings for non-traditional students like Bradshaw, who is a mother in her 40’s and is also working.
Bradshaw decided to go back to school for a Bachelor’s Degree after losing a job. But finishing her college education was filled with obstacles she said.
“It was absolutely difficult, there is no doubt about it,” she explained.
During her time at Rollins, her husband was diagnosed with cancer, her father started developing Alzheimer’s, and she lost her younger brother. But it was Rollins which gave her an outlet and helped her stay focused.
Bradshaw said, “Everyone that has been a part of my life has had a genuine interest in trying to move me forward and help me succeed.”
Her success was on full display for the whole school to see — this first-generation college grad was chosen to give her class commencement speech.
“I’ve gotten to watch her take what she learned on campus and put into the community,” said Micki Meyer, the Lord Family Assistant VP for Student Affairs and Community for Rollins College.
She added, “I see her in the community as an advocate with other women's organizations, and I see her now planting those very seeds that were planted for her when she was on campus to help our next generation of students and leaders grow.”
Soon after graduating Bradshaw began working for the college as a Communications Manager at the admissions office, helping prospective students enroll at the Holt School — inspiring others to have something to look forward to, the way she did.
“It's not going to be easy. Every day is not going to be perfect, and you will probably have time to say, ‘Why in the world did I do this?’ But in the end you’re going to know why you did it,” Bradshaw said.
Bradshaw is now seeking a Master’s Degree in Business Administration at the Rollins Crummer Graduate School of Business.