Husband and wife return to school together
Family, work, and school go hand-in-hand for this couple. Returning to school as an adult student has many challenges. So Adam and Laura Stevens decided to do it together and even pursue the same degree—Paralegal Studies. This choice eliminated some challenges and had several advantages for the husband and wife.
“Returning to school together had great benefits such as sharing textbooks, having a live-in study partner,” said Laura, ’07. “And just having someone there to talk to who is going through the exact same experiences like balancing work with school and raising a child, along with all of the other daily trials that go along with these things.”
Although they often were encouragement for each other, they also served as competition. “We regularly had contests to see who could get better grades at the end of the semester,” remembers Adam.
Laura’s parents are both Richmond alumni. Laura’s dad, Vann Barden, graduated from Richmond College in 1973. Her mom, Patricia Barden, graduated from SCS in 2002. Both encouraged the couple to return to school and not let anything keep them from finishing.
“My mom returned to school after a thirty-year hiatus. She had nothing but great stories and experiences to tell me about SCS, said Laura. “I knew if she enjoyed it half as much as she said and could handle going back to school after all that time, then I could definitely do it after only taking six years off.”