College didn't start the way Aly Bonawitz envisioned. As a freshman at the University of Cincinnati in 2007, the Dayton, Ohio, native didn't find her groove and headed home without her degree.
A decade later, she found herself a single parent to a 4-year-old daughter - and a dream she just couldn't seem to shake.
"I never went a day without thinking about graduating from UC," Bonawitz said. "And I now knew it was my sole responsibility to make sure my daughter has an awesome life. I want her to know that just because something is hard, it doesn't mean it's bad."
Most of Bonawitz's classes are asynchronous, meaning she can complete the coursework when it suits her schedule. She does most of her homework after her daughter's bedtime each night or during naptime on weekends. Bonawitz has enjoyed online learning so much that after graduating with her associate degree this month, she plans stay enrolled with the college to earn her bachelor's degree in applied administration online as well. Her career aim is to work in marketing for a small company.
For now, Bonawitz will take a moment to celebrate completing the first step toward her goals - and to hold that UC diploma she never stopped pursuing.
"Once a Bearcat, always a Bearcat."
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