The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Karen Wood
Spelman College. Class of 2016. Comparative women’s studies.
After high school, I started as an art major at Tennessee State University. My parents subsequently got divorced and my foundation was shaken. I was angry. So, in my anger I left school. I started working for the airlines. I decided to go see the world. I worked with the airlines for 30 years.
Got married and had two children. After divorcing their father some years later I was making a good living as a security investigator, but I wanted to have my options to do whatever I wanted to do or create a business.
I was 53 years old. You know the universe works on your behalf when you’re doing the right thing. Going back at such a late age I was still a little shaky about it. I got in and it was a special program for students 25 and older called the Pauline Drake program.
I’m the age of maybe some of the professors and the age of some of my classmates’ parents. There was something my father and my mother always taught me: A closed mouth doesn’t get fed. I began to build relationships and collaborating with these young women who inspire me to another level.
When I went to school the first time, it was about go to high school, graduate and you beg somebody for a job. It’s not that way anymore. Spelman College taught me you build relationships and collaborations and create businesses while you’re there.
Going back to school allowed me to rebuild and rebrand myself and my value. By doing that I had to do something that was uncomfortable. Going back to school that age, I challenged myself in so many ways.