Fourth time’s the charm - Working mom on a mission to complete first degree

As Karen Cobourne approaches another birthday, the mother of two teenagers has never been more determined to achieve a goal she set for herself more than 20 years ago.

The newly promoted compliance supervisor at Access Financial Services, who has been working in the financial services sector since she left high school, is now on her fourth attempt to pursue a bachelor's degree in accounting and financial management.

Cobourne, who will turn 47 in November, said she enrolled at Northern Caribbean University in 2005, but life intervened.

"I got pregnant with my son and had to drop out. I started again in 2009 but stopped with baby number two. After that, I went back again in 2011 but had to quit again when I lost my job. A lot has happened in between then and now, but this time I am determined that I'm going to finish," explained Cobourne, who is now a second-year student at the University College of the Commonwealth.

The Clarendon native, who recently celebrated her 15th wedding anniversary, proudly declared that family has been a huge motivating factor fuelling her dreams of higher education.

"Sometimes I feel like I'm doing this just as much for them as I am doing it for myself. A part of me feels like I let down my parents for not finishing. I owe it to them. I'm also doing this for my children, I want to show them that you shouldn't give up. I want them to know that mommy doesn't give up, even when it's scary or seems impossible," she shared.

SUPPORT SYSTEM

In addition to having a "very supportive husband", Cobourne has benefited from strong professional support from her employer which recently granted her a 50-per cent tuition refund as part of the company's education assistance programme (EAP) for employees.

"I cannot tell you how excited I was when I got the call. Their support has made all the difference. Last year we got a grant for my daughter Anya when she came out as the top performer for PEP [Primary Exit Profile], and this year I applied and got the tuition refund. We could not be happier," said Cobourne.

While admitting that balancing home, work, and school has not been easy, Cobourne said she's enjoying the journey. "My job allows me to meet people. I'm rarely in the office so it's never boring. There's always a challenge and I thrive on that. When I'm at home, I enjoy being in the kitchen baking, which I find so soothing. I'm a foodie so I love to cook or go out to eat. Yes, my plate is full, but it's a good mix that keeps life interesting," she said.

For the Glenmuir High School alumna, the journey to higher education has been a winding road with many bumps. In a class of mostly younger students, Cobourne confessed that there have been moments when she felt discouraged.

"At first, I felt a little weird when the younger people in the class called me 'Miss Karen', but I had to shake off that feeling. I decided that I wouldn't let anything stop me from pushing forward. You have to block out the noise in your head and just go for it. It doesn't matter what you want to do. Use the examples around you to encourage yourself."