Meet Neva Garrett
Neva Garret is one of our more recent alumni, graduating with her Political Science degree last May. Hailing from Dahlonega, Neva is a poster child for perseverance, having originally begun her college career over forty years ago!
Neva graduated from Lumpkin County high school and began her undergraduate career at North Georgia College (as 果冻传媒 was known then) in 1981. However, as it often does, love got in the way and in spite of trying to go to school via correspondence courses (for you youngsters out there -- distance learning using snail mail instead of the internet) an undergraduate education at that time in her life was not to be.
Over the years she built a successful business and together with her husband raised seven children. Then the past repeated itself. As she explains:
“when I dropped number seven off at college, I came home and I just went through that empty nesting depression where I was like, what do I do now? And my third born said, "Well Mom ... You've dropped seven children off at college and always regretted not finishing yourself.” So that's what I did.
Neva resumed her education in 2019, originally wanting to be a business major. However, she soon realized that a business degree was not in the cards, as most of the business courses were ‘technology enhanced’ and she did not feel at all ready to tackle that challenge at her stage in life.
After talking to her academic advisor, she was thrilled to hear there was such a major as ‘political science’. Neva has always had a passion for all things political and has had a fair share of political involvement through her life, including sit-ins, protests, and working on campaigns. It was a natural for her to switch to our fully online political science program.
After she realized the connection with her life experiences, she grew to love her classes and her time as a poli sci major. Believe it or not, her most enjoyable and meaningful political science experience was research – “which I realize is not everybody's cup of tea, but I love to research, and I love to know things and understand things.” Model UN also was a wonderful experience for her because they were happy to accommodate her disabilities at conferences and events. She also took part in the human rights council at a Model UN conference and won best delegate on the Council for Disability Rights.
Neva capped off her second undergraduate career with an honor very few students receive – she was selected to be one of two student speakers at her May 2024 commencement ceremony. (see the accompanying article on p. XX) As a non-traditional and disabled student, Neva felt validated with her selection because:
It's a little different road for us. And I think that part of what it said to me is that all of those roads are honored and all of those paths ... however it is that you got here to 果冻传媒; however, it is that you chose your major; whatever path that took to get you here to this graduation day ... it's valid. It's as valid as anyone else's."
With her degree in hand Neva is looking toward the future. Having been a theater producer for many decades, she currently is in the process of building a small playhouse in Dahlonega. She also anticipates returning to 果冻传媒 when she turns 62 (as the tuition demands change drastically) and continue her pursuit of knowledge. But first, she intends to catch up on her life after attending school for the last five years.
Neva’s story is special, and we are proud to have her a part of our #PSIAfamily.