Scholar Stories
Karoline’s Story
Eight years ago this month, I left my abuser. The day I left was sudden and traumatic, but when I left my life started to change. I had anxiety, panic attacks, and a fear of what was to come, but I left bearing it all anyways, because the alternative was ultimately death. That may sound severe, but for some death may be a paradigm for the eventual emptiness you will have inside when your abuser takes the last bit of self-worth you have left. To me, I didn’t know the strength I had then, but looking back at what I went through, it takes a warrior to overcome a battle of that severity; I became the warrior who was going to decide my future!
Yasmin’s Story
On MLK Day of 2004, I was a newly single mother. I had a job that I enjoyed, but because of a combination of life circumstances and choices, I also had a limited education which ended with a GED. I joined some of my coworkers for a joyful march from the Capitol building in downtown Austin to Huston-Tillotson University (HT). There were marching bands, cheerleaders, and singing as I pushed my infant son in his stroller along the route on that beautiful, brisk Texas morning. When we arrived at HT, I looked up and saw a banner that hung above the entrance which said “Call Now. Start College Next Semester.” with the phone number.
Rachel’s Story
When I left my abusive spouse, I was frightened! That said I was also determined. I didn’t want my 4 year old son to grow up in the environment I had been living in for the past several years. I took some clothes and fled to the Women’s Center shelter. I was a shell of myself by that time and felt vulnerable. Immediately, I obtained a protective order. No one knew how I had been living, so it was a shock to my friends, family and community. I continued to work to keep my mind off the harassment and drastic changes. Thankfully, one precious coworker kept my head on straight when from time-to-time I considered going back.
Melanie’s Story
When I left the sanctuary of the safe house with my two young children and everything I owned stuffed into a laundry basket, I faced a mountain of life challenges I never thought I would be able to overcome. Poverty, joblessness, homelessness, no family for a thousand miles and living in an economically distressed rural area… But WISP changed all of that through the life-changing gift of education.
