Shastaney Williams
DESI Career Training
ITA Program
Challenges Are Just Part of Life Shastaney Williams is a determined responsible 20 year-old single parent of three young children, ages 4, 3 and 2 years old. She found it difficult and challenging to be a parent, and even more difficult to raise children without proper support from their father. She often felt overwhelmed, but even with all of her responsibilities; she still had a desire to continue her education so that she can give her children a life better than hers. Williams not only graduated with her high school class, but with a 3.5 grade point average-in spite of the challenges of being a single parent.
Williams has had a supportive family and states, "I learned from my parents and my own experience as a single mom that good, solid parenting has less to do with the number of parents and more to do with the quality of parenting. Knowing I was a good parent in spite of my circumstances gave me the strength and motivation to do what I needed to do to change my life."
In August 2004, Williams enrolled in the DESI Career Training Center's CBS-114 Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) Certification program. In October 2003, she successfully completed the program and is now a Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel Specialist. In mid-October of that same year, she applied for federal student aid and applied for Enterprise-Ozark Community College's Aviation Maintenance Technology Program.
Williams was granted admission into the aviation program at Enterprise-Ozark Community College and received the federal student aid in the form of a Pell Grant. She thought everything was going right. But it wasn't. TANAF stopped her daycare. She had car trouble and the Pell Grant wasn't enough to pay for her books. She has never been ashamed to ask for help or advice and immediately contacted the senior manager at DESI, Barbara Ruffin, and her case manager at TANF to inform them about her situation.
The TANF case manager reactivated her case so her children could continue attending daycare. Ruffin contacted the chairman at Enterprise Ozark informing him of her financial situation, who reviewed her application and test scores and found her worthy of discretionary funds that are earmarked to assist students in need.
Since enrolling in Enterprise Ozark Community College, Williams has shown exceptional mechanical aptitude along with a high level of enthusiasm. As she nears graduation, she has a maintained a 4.0 GPA and was recommended by her instructor to receive a scholarship from Mobile Aerospace Engineering Company.
Williams plans on a long career in the aerospace industry after graduation and says it won't bother her at all to be a woman in a field dominated by men. She sees it as just one more challenge. At Mobile Works, we're sure it will be a piece of cake compared to the challenges she has met to get there.
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