Aug 13, 2020 4:17 pm
As a young single mom and college student, Lindsay Williams was unsure what the future held for her and her son. At the time, the Texas native was a Texas Southern University student struggling to balance school and parenthood, ultimately leaving college to find a job that would help to support her and her son.
Over the course of the next five years, Williams, 28, worked a series of part-time jobs, never really finding her passion. After meeting her husband and learning more about his time in the military, she had a bit of a breakthrough. “He really got me thinking about the idea of joining the military since it had such an impact on his life,” Williams said. “I was ready to make a change in my life and do something that I could be proud of. I joined the military in 2017, and truly feel like I’ve changed for the better as a result.”
Now based on Joint Base Lewis-McChord, she and her husband are balancing their careers with raising three boys: Mason, 8, Mars, 2, and Maddox, 8 months.
Williams’ time in the military inspired her to go back to college through Pierce College at JBLM, where she is double majoring in pre-nursing and computer network engineering. “I’ve always thought about the idea of becoming a nurse, and I kept hearing about what a great program Pierce College has,” she said.
Williams plans to transfer to a nursing school at a local university after graduating from Pierce College. Although she admits it’s not easy finishing college as a wife and parent while serving in the military, she credits Pierce College advisors for making sure she is set up for success each quarter. “My advisors at Pierce College at JBLM work closely with me on my degree plan and have been so helpful and understanding about my demanding schedule,” Williams said.
Williams’ hard work in her classes has more than paid off this year, as she recently received Pierce College at JBLM’s Military Academic Achievement Award for excellence. With a 3.69 GPA, she is on track to continuing her tradition of excellence into the future. “I was surprised and blown away by this award,” she said. “I was working so hard in my classes, and this just motivated me to keep going and not give up. I am so grateful that Pierce College is making it possible for me to earn my degree and succeed in college while serving in the military.”