Finding the Financial Support to Land Your Dream Job
Mirranda Williams lost her sight at a young age and was born into a family that struggled in poverty. Her path to higher education wasn’t easy but she is a firm believer it was worth the effort so she could pursue her passion to help others with disabilities.
Williams said having a disability, living on a fixed income, and feeling like financial aid would not be available to her meant that she thought she wouldn’t be able to pursue her dream of going to graduate school.
She decided to apply to the advanced standing master’s program for the school of Social Work at Morgan State University anyway. She was accepted to the accelerated program and would graduate in one year, which would help reduce the cost. She also decided to take out a student loan to help pay for any additional costs. But then she caught a break with financial assistance through the Department of Education Department of Rehabilitation Services.
“The agency typically assists in providing aid to people with disabilities for undergraduate degrees. However, I was able to justify why I needed further assistance with a graduate degree in the chosen field for which I had applied,” Williams said. “With a combination of loans and the department of Education’s assistance I was able to have the opportunity to attend graduate school and land my dream job.”
“Plan and then have a backup plan…The dedication, determination and the self-awareness that you will gain from graduate school are truly the things that you cannot place a price on, and you will value forever.”
Williams said that just like everyone else right now, she struggles to pay for her loans, keep up with the basic cost of living and manage the additional expenses of being a person who is blind. But to her, getting her graduate degree was essential and well worth the cost because she gets to help people with disabilities, like herself, thrive in their communities.
“Having a master’s degree allowed me the opportunity to either work for an agency or create my own consulting business, which I did before taking a job with Department of Rehabilitation Services (DRS) of Maryland,” Williams said.
She has advice for people who are considering graduate school: don’t let financial burdens deter you from achieving your dreams.
“Plan and then have a backup plan. Look for jobs with employers who offer reimbursement for higher education. Apply for jobs that offer opportunities to decrease or dismiss loans if you work in a public service,” Williams said. “The dedication, determination and the self-awareness that you will gain from graduate school are truly the things that you cannot place a price on, and you will value forever.”