Todd DuBose

I am a non-traditional student who has achieved many things within the last 5 years of my academic career. I have had many tragedies occur within a very short amount of time, yet I have overcome them. In 2009, my mother was diagnosed with Ovarian Cancer. I am an only child and I was adopted, so her influence was heavy in my life. After many battles with Chemo, and stints at MD Anderson Cancer Center, her passing on September 5, 2010 rocked my world and put me into a depression. A few months after my mothers death, my partners niece, who we were very close to, committed suicide April 2011, to our dismay. Being the same age as I was, this took its toll on me as well. But nothing could compare to my home burning down in the Bastrop Complex Wildfires this same year on the exact date of my mothers anniversary of her death. We lost everything, but we were able to save our dogs and a few clothes we grabbed as we left, since we only had five minutes to evacuate. After losing all of that, it finally took its toll on me and I had a nervous breakdown and almost committed suicide as well, but I began looking back on my life and I decided that I had to change everything, so I quit my job, enrolled in Austin Community College in Austin, TX and began taking courses to bring up my GPA. After several semesters of classes and being inducted into Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, member #2614734, I realized that I could change my future and not let past circumstances dictate my success. I applied to Texas State University - San Marcos, TX in 2013 and was accepted, where I have once again achieved honors I never thought possible. I received a letter of invitation into the Sigma Alpha Lambda Honor Society, member #179964, June 2015 and most recently was accepted into the National Aerospace Honor Society, Alpha Sigma Chapter at Texas State as the Vice President, April 11,2016. I was also recognized on the Dean's List in the Fall 2014 semester. I will be graduating on May 12, 2016 with my Bachelors of General Studies, minoring in Healthcare Administration, Psychology and Sociology. I will hopefully graduate with a 3.35 after this semester. I say of all this because I hope my story can influence someone else to not let tragedies take control of theirs lives or dis-rail their dreams! If I can do it, anyone can too!