Work. Study. Focus. These words have resonated with UDC alumna and staff member Dr. Linda Carmichael-Freeman for quite some time. Carmichael-Freeman, who earned her AA, BA and MA degrees from UDC in ’93, ’97 and ’03, is a program coordinator at UDC’s College of Agriculture, Urban Sustainability and Environmental Sciences and has always held demanding jobs. These experiences plus mature insight gave her the impetus later to seek higher learning for its expanded career opportunities.
With
foresight, Carmichael-Freeman developed a plan of action and worked it
with determination. “I have the initiative to complete any task
given to me as long as I am afforded the opportunity,” she said. So she
took one or two classes at a time, working full-time and part-time jobs
so that she could send her three children to private schools and pursue
her educational objectives.
Once the journey started, Carmichael-Freeman earned three college degrees and still yearned for more. She wanted to go the distance; she wanted to obtain a terminal degree. A pithy objective, she thought, but nonetheless she persevered.
Recently, on a sunny day at California Southern University, the event may have surprised some folks but not Carmichael-Freeman. She simply smiled and claimed her prize: a PhD in psychology and counseling.
Carmichael-Freeman touts UDC’s talented and nurturing professors whose support, she says, helped lay the groundwork for her achievements. Her advice for today’s students? “Always appreciate your support system and stay focused on what you set out to accomplish. You must never give up when people doubt you…Your biggest advocate is you.”
Dr. Linda Carmichael-Freeman has developed workshops to help people
stay on point as they navigate life’s challenges. She can be contacted
at lcarmichael-freeman@udc.edu.