The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Homeschooling mom earns two degrees
She graduated college with 4.0 GPA 36 years after high school.
When Debbie Jones graduated from Vilseck High School in Germany in 1987, she didn’t think college was in the cards for her.
In 2021, she would make one of the most crucial decisions in her life. She decided that she would attend Harford Community College.
“It wasn’t easy,” Jones said. But she accepted the challenge, and at 53 years old, she walked across the stage at HCC last month to receive two college degrees.
Jones was a military brat, born in Harford County, who moved back and forth between Harford County and Germany.
Her great-grandparents moved to the county in 1924 from North Carolina and had a farm on Prospect Hill Road in Bel Air.
“The whole road was great-grandparents, and greataunts and -uncles,” said Jones. “Even with moving back and forth, I was still a big Harford County girl.”
After graduating from high school in 1987, Jones went straight into office work including bookkeeping, event planning, scheduling, marketing and human resources. She did not consider continuing her education.
“When I graduated high school, women were secretaries,” said Jones. “The mindset back then was, why would you put a lot of money into getting a woman to go to college when she was just going to get pregnant and stay at home with children. The money was put toward the men. I had the goal of becoming a really good secretary.”
After marrying her husband, Eric, Jones gave birth to their daughter in 2003, and their son
in 2009. The couple decided to homeschool their children.
“Some of the public schools seemed to be deteriorating,” said Jones. “We felt that we could give them a well-rounded education. We wanted them to have more life skills as well as staying on top of academics. I don’t think life skills are taught in school, like how to balance a checkbook or prepare for retirement or save money.”
Homeschooling gave Jones the opportunity to be a part of community outreach. One day a year, she drives to York, Pennsylvania, to teach financial budgeting to juniors and seniors at the Junior Achievement of South Central PA program, a schooland business-based nonprofit.
While homeschooling her kids, Jones also worked for 14 years at Camp Wome To, a nonprofit Christian retreat center that is owned by the Woman’s Missionary Union of Maryland and Delaware. However, she wanted to re-enter the work field.
“I realized that I wasn’t able to with 35 years of experience,” said Jones. “College kids with a degree and no experience were going to make more money than me.”
Jones had a decision to make.
She could be resentful or do something about her situation. She initially thought she could not enroll in college after graduating high school so many years ago.
“My daughter was like, ‘You homeschooled me all the way through. You taught me everything I needed to get to college,’” said Jones. “My husband was like, ‘If you could teach all of this, then you could do it.’”
With a big push from her family, Jones decided to attend Harford Community College in 2021. All year round, she took online classes while still homeschooling her son, who is now 14. She double majored in business administration and accounting.
“So, I was basically getting the pieces of paper to say that I knew how to do what I’ve been doing for all these years,” said Jones. “I’m grateful to see the changes that have happened in society to allow women to succeed. I can do more than take your phone calls and type.”
It was not easy. Sometimes she wanted to give up. But she was also enjoying real success in school.
She became a member of Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society, received numerous scholarships including the Athena Leadership Scholarship, Phi Theta Kappa Rho Beta Chapter Scholarship, Jordan Family Scholarship, and the American Association University Women Scholarship. Each semester, Jones’ name was on the president’s list for academic achievement.
Despite her hesitancy in the beginning, Jones finished her studies at Harford Community College with a 4.0 GPA, and new confidence.
“This is all a part of the steppingstones in your life,” said Jones. “Everything leads to somethings else. At no point should we ever submit to discouragement because that’s just an emotional response to something challenging to you.”
Jones continued: “I was discouraged but I didn’t quit. I had people lifting me up. I think if you have a good support system around you, whether you have to build one or it already exists, that it’s really important. I want people to know that their journey matters.”