In September, Nina Springwater was invited to share her story at the Tulsa Alumni Gathering hosted at SNU’s Tulsa Campus. Her inspiring story encourages any working mother seeking to finish a degree to consider SNU, a university that values family, faith, and a more balanced lifestyle.
Dr. Anne GhostBear, director of SNU’s Tulsa Campus, shared,
“Nina Springwater exemplifies the busy adult learner who prioritized herself by following her educational dreams! She beautifully managed family, profession, and degree requirements and reached her initial goal of earning a bachelor's degree and is continuing on to earn her master's degree. She is changing her world and making life better for others with her dynamic and enthusiastic approach to learning and life!”
Juggling work, family, and higher education can be an overwhelming task. Like so many, Nina was struggling to complete her degree. As a pregnant single mother attending a local community college, she found managing her full-time work and school schedule challenging. Finding a job that accommodated her morning classes and her family life proved very difficult. While finishing her degree was a priority, Nina still needed to be able to work and provide for her family.
As Nina reached out to friends and family for support, she discovered that a friend's wife worked for a local temp agency. The agency expressed that they might be able to help her find a job that would work around her demanding school schedule, even just temporarily. Nina was hopeful this job would help her continue college but had real concerns about the scheduling. Even so, Nina went to the interview. During the interview, the interviewer began asking about Nina’s experience and what she was looking for from both a job and a school. The interviewer shared with Nina how SNU offers classes one night a week and entirely online, how the instructors are positive and supportive, and how SNU might be a better fit for Nina’s busy schedule.
Nina shared, “I was so intrigued about the things she told me regarding how the university schedules around family and work life, and the different degrees that they offered. After that conversation with her, I chose to take a leap of faith and pursued enrollment with SNU.”
As Nina began attending classes at SNU in 2019, she found that the evening classes and pace of the coursework made it much easier for her to manage school, work, and family life. By taking classes one night a week and one at a time, Nina could continue to work and provide an income for her family while pursuing her goal of completing her Bachelor of Science in Family Studies and Gerontology. Dr. GhostBear noted, "Nina added to her SNU value by petitioning and earning credit through our great Prior Learning Assessment system.”
Nina also found a renewed connection with God. As Nina’s instructors and cohort accepted and encouraged her, Nina observed that she was growing into a better version of herself, “I also learned about myself in ways that helped me reflect & grow to be a better me, and I learned how to improve the relationships I once had lost. But most importantly, Southern Nazarene University impacted my spiritual connection with God by providing a safe space to openly and honestly embrace him.”
SNU offered a safe and supportive environment for Nina to grow professionally and personally in her faith, express her faith, and develop her confidence. Through the mentorship of her instructors and the friendships she developed within her cohort, Nina began seeking God’s will for her life more passionately. She had the faith, confidence, and support to finish her degree.
Nina graduated in December 2021 with her Bachelor of Science in Family Studies and Gerontology. But she hasn’t stopped there. Nina has decided to continue her journey by pursuing her Master of Business Administration at SNU and is confident that this will be part of God’s larger plan for her life.
“Being able to attend an educational institution that genuinely understands the importance of life, family, and faith is a blessing, and I'm very proud to say that I am a Southern Nazarene University alum today,” Nina said. “I love the spiritual aspect SNU provides within the classrooms. Being a student here allows me to accomplish my goals at a pace that’s attainable while creating a stronger bond with God.”
Nina’s inspirational story is one of how the Lord led her to the right campus, at the right time, with the right people and programs. Her degree has positively impacted her life, and, most importantly, her time at SNU renewed and strengthened her faith. Nina hopes her story will inspire others who are struggling and who want to pursue their degree at SNU.
SNU’s professional and graduate studies programs offer classes one night per week or 100% online with multiple start dates throughout the year. Many programs can be completed in as little as 18-24 months with credit for prior learning available. Contact our enrollment counselors if you’re interested in completing your degree at a university that understands the importance of family, faith, and work-life balance.
