If You Go, I’ll Go
For nearly 20 years, Christina Royster built a career at a global packaging company. About seven years ago, she moved into the HR department with no formal training beyond a short introductory course.
She thrived in her new role.
Along the way she was mentored by supportive leaders and encouraged by a boss who told her he’d approve any class she wanted to take. But she wasn’t quite ready to sign up for college classes until a conversation at home became the spark.
One night, she was fussing at her son, newly diagnosed with autism, for not turning in assignments. She reminded him that in college, no one would chase him down.
𝗛𝗲 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝘁 𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝘀𝗸𝗲𝗱, “𝗗𝗶𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗴𝗼 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗴𝗲?”
The question hit hard.
Christina realized she had been telling him to value education without finishing her own degree.
“𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗜 𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝗺𝘆 𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗳 𝗜 𝗵𝗮𝗱𝗻’𝘁 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗱 𝗺𝘆 𝗼𝘄𝗻?”
Christina saw clearly that if she wanted her children to believe in the power of education, she needed to model it herself. That meant enrolling in college. For Christina, enrolling wasn't just about earning the credential. She wanted to live the values she was urging on her son.
So in 2023, Christina enrolled at a local college in her home state of North Carolina to pursue her Associate in Business Administration with a concentration in Human Resource Management. She paced herself carefully, balancing classes with work and family life.
Along the way, something unexpected happened. Her husband, Nicholas, decided to join her.
Nicholas told her, “If you go, I’ll go. We’ll do it together.”
Today, they study side by side, competing playfully over quiz scores.
Meanwhile, their daughter, encouraged by their example, just enrolled as well.
“Our daughter enrolled after watching us. Now it’s like, everyone in this family is proving it’s possible.”
Together Nicholas and Christina are not only advancing their own careers, they are creating a culture of learning that is reshaping their family.
“Sometimes you don’t realize how your choices ripple out until you see your kids following your lead.”
When asked how she’s changed since enrolling in college, she says, “The Christina before school was just getting by. The Christina now has grown up.”
Her advice to other working adults who may be sitting on the fence worried about whether to pursue higher education especially given the investment of time:
“If it takes you seven years to finish a two-year degree, at least you finish it. Just get it started.” She also added, “It’s not a race. It’s a victory at the end.”
Center for Academic Innovation team member Bridgett Strickler interviewed Dr. Michelle Cyrus and authored this narrative. To explore additional adult learner stories, follow Bridgett on LinkedIn, where she regularly writes about adult learner comebacks. To learn about Bridgett’s deeply personal connection to this work, be sure to watch her TEDx talk, “If you’re going back to school, community may be the medicine.”