“Right out of high school, I didn’t have my priorities straight at all,” says Jenny Wright, 26, married and the mother of two, a rising senior in Dalton State’s BBA program.

“It’s a lot easier to prioritize when you’re looking at your five-year-old and your two-year-old every day.”

Wright admits that her first foray into higher education at age 18 was a disaster.

“I bombed out of school,” she says, admitting that while she’d been a high-achieving high school student, she just wasn’t motivated to study when she first entered college.

“I dropped out of another University System of Georgia school after one semester and joined the Army,” she recalls.

That experience turned out to be “a blessing” for her in many ways, she says. She met her husband, Dustin, at Ft. Knox in Kentucky. They both qualified for the GI Bill and signed up for the “college bonus” option, which has provided both of them with additional funds to support their college educations.

Once she served her four-year stint, Wright returned to her home, near LaFayette, and she and daughter, Haile, and son, Levi, went to live on her parents’ blueberry farm while her husband finished his commitment to the Army, including a five-month tour of duty in Iraq.

Once the family was reunited, Jenny and Dustin decided to focus on higher education. A chance visit from a Dalton State College professor to her parents’ farm a few years ago set her on the path of pursuing a Bachelor in Business Administration Degree.

Dr. Don Davis, Associate Professor of Sociology, a friend of Wright’s parents, happened to suggest to her that she channel her interests into a business degree.

“He was sitting in our living room, and started encouraging me to consider business. Even then, I had a hard time imaging myself pursuing a four-year bachelor’s degree, but just a few months later, I was sitting in class, and I loved it.”

Wright has a cumulative grade point average of 3.64 which includes the classes taken during her “disastrous first year.” Since she first enrolled in Dalton State in January 2005, she has earned all but one “A.”

“I’ve come to the realization that now that I’m a grown-up, I really enjoy learning,” she says. “Every class I’ve signed up for so far I’ve ended up enjoying. I find myself really wanting to learn more.”

Besides having educational opportunities through her military service, Jenny and Dustin receive Pell Grants, and she is the recipient of a DSC Foundation Scholarship, the Class of 1971 Scholarship which has provided her with a $1000 stipend this year.

In order to graduate during the summer of 2007, Wright is taking a very full load – 18 hours – including several very challenging business courses.

As a student, Wright has been able to achieve “balance” in and out of the classroom. She was invited to become a Student Ambassador for the College, representing the institution during important school functions. She serves as a treasurer for Habitat for Humanity. And she manages a home and two young children.

“Being a mom and being what I’ve been through has definitely made me focus on my school work,” she says. “I take it very seriously. Managing kids who are dependent upon us keeps us on the right path.

“Everything that has happened to me, including my first college experience, has led me to who I am now. I wouldn’t change anything. I’m glad to be where I am today.”