Teacher overcomes financial struggles to earn two degrees

Denise Dennis only had $500 when she was attempting to enroll at the University of the West Indies, Mona, in 2008.

Needless to say, it was not enough to cover her $130,000 a year tuition. But Dennis, now a teacher, successfully attained her bachelor's of arts degree in history in 2011 and is now the holder of a master's degree. Her journey to success was not short of struggles, but she believes they were fundamental in fulfilling her 'why'. In her early years in Sandy Bay, Clarendon, and Old Harbour, St Catherine, she carefully observed how her parents sacrificed everything to give her a solid education and wanted to make them proud.

Her mother, Esmina Dennis, was a domestic helper and vendor while her father, Garfield Dennis, worked as a labourer. Their incomes were not enough to cover the household's needs.

"My mother tried everything. I can recall her selling at Freetown Primary with her little box of sweets and snacks I would sit right beside her. When that failed, my parents started a shop that was later robbed by gunmen. They moved from failure to failure with the same enthusiasm and that was to ensure I was taken care of the best way they could," Dennis shared.

The 32-year-old added that her mother later ventured into domestic work, which even resulted in her developing a painful infection on her finger. Her mother made $5,000 a week, which sometimes saw Dennis being outfitted with 'less desired' shoes and bags, evoking ridicule from classmates. The St Catherine High School alumna, who currently teaches history and Caribbean studies at the institution, told THE STAR that her parents would visit school and consult with teachers and also have her read to them, just to ensure she was not being left behind. The transition and decision to attain tertiary education was deliberate for the mother of one, who saw it as the golden opportunity to change her life.

Sheer faith and resilience

"I was deregistered a few times after not being able to meet the financial obligations [of the UWI] during my first year but that carried over to my second and third years. In second year, I took student loan but I still had a balance but I just could not pay for the first year. It was just sheer faith and resilience that kept me going to classes, completing assignments and then going to exam sections to try and get a card. I can't recall ever getting a card to do my exams because I would be outstanding [in fee payment] from first and second year," he reflected.

During her undergraduate studies, Dennis would sleep in the library or with friends on Taylor Hall as the commute to Old Harbour was expensive. She also gained employment on campus or marketing jobs just to fund her daily needs.

In 2019, she began her master's of education curriculum and instruction degree, which also had struggles. Thankfully, she was a beneficiary of a subsidised scholarship from the Ministry of Education. However, the online modality of classes posed a challenge as she attempted to balance her academic, personal and professional lives.

Her reason to stay dedicated was credited to a childhood promise to herself that "I am going to wear stocking and shoes one day". Satisfied that she fulfilled the promise, the first-generation college graduate is still basking in her success.

"I was influenced by the need to impact and create change. I am feeling accomplished and ready to make my contribution to education. I am passionate about authentic learning and creating opportunities in the classroom for the promotion of lifelong learning. The achievement means a lot, it means that through perseverance and resilience anything is possible and it doesn't matter where you start," she told THE STAR.

Dennis encourages those who are struggling to be relentless and know their why, as well as to discover their purpose and walk in it. She hopes to pursue a PhD in education administration.