Written by: Jason G. Terrelonge, PTA Graduate, KU Jacksonville
Conquer Your Fears – Achieve Your Goals
My name is Jason G. Terrelonge and I was born in the beautiful island of Jamaica. At the age of 5, my family migrated to the United States. I am the firstborn of 3 siblings to my wonderful parents George and Rose Terrelonge. My journey is a bit unorthodox; reason being, I had no clear career path or knew what I wanted to do after high school. I took college courses because in my mind it was the right thing to do. After much soul searching, I realized that I had no clear vision or goal. I was juggling two part time jobs, attending school with no time for myself and barely any money in my pocket. While at work, one of my co-workers with many years of experience came up to me and said “stay in school”. I have heard this so many times before from family, friends and even professors, but no one has ever explained it to me the way my co-worker did. She used her own experiences and failures to emphasize the importance of a good education and career goal. That’s when it hit me; I was wasting precious time and not living up to my true potential.
I left work that night with many thoughts floating through my head. I knew after that conversation that I needed to make a change. I can only say that fate brought me to Keiser University in Jacksonville approximately 291 miles/4 hours away. I researched the PTA program and made the life changing decision to take the leap of faith. It was the scariest decision I have ever made in my life; to be away for the very first time from my family and friends. Deep down inside, I knew it was the right decision, everything started to fall in place. My classmates made me feel at home; they became my new family. I had the most amazing group of professors who went above and beyond to ensure that we receive the best quality education in a fun-loving, professional environment.
April 23, 2015 and May 29, 2015 are two of the most important days of my life; Pinning Ceremony and Graduation respectively. These dates represent the end of one journey and the beginning of another. All the hard work, dedication, sleepless nights, trials and tribulations can easily be summed up in two unforgettable events. My journey would not be possible without the love and support from my wonderful family and friends.
As excited as I am that I completed my PTA program with honors I will not celebrate until I pass my state board exam which I am currently studying for. My experience at KU has shown me that you should never allow your fears to stop you from achieving your dreams.
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My instructors believed in me. They were more than instructors, they tried to get to know you as a person and tried to understand your goals so they could push you towards them. Student services helped me find a job before I even graduated. Everyone was dedicated to my overall success.
