Kenya Culmer is a firm believer in the Malcolm X quote, “the future belongs to those who prepare for it today” – and as such is taking charge of her future, and doing what she has to do to secure hers educationally, because she knows that unlike physical entities, knowledge never deteriorates, but builds on the existing information base and remains intact. Culmer, who describes herself as a “career student”, recently earned a master’s degree in human resource development and is already making plans to pursue studies to obtain a doctorate degree.
Culmer said education is important because it is a tool that gives people knowledge, information, and new skills. She said ensuring she is educated makes her a better person every day, and gives her the ability to think differently, be informed, initiate creativity, and makes her more marketable while helping her fulfill her true potential.
“After completing my undergraduate degree, the decision to continue my graduate degree was instinctive,” said Culmer, who was among a cohort of 18 Bahamians that graduated from Barry University in December 2020, all with Master of Science degrees in human resource development.
“Among the plethora of reasons are two that stand out as to why I decided to pursue my master’s degree – professional development, and personal growth. Professional development helps to raise the status quo. On the other hand, personal development/growth helps me set goals and expectations for myself through meticulous planning and careful analysis. It was important for me to pursue my master’s degree because in today’s evolving market – trained, educated, and versatile individuals are the most preferred, due to them being equipped with the latest updated knowledge in their field.”
Culmer was out of the classroom for one year before beginning studies toward her master’s. However, during that period, she continued with her studies, completing diplomas in social work, project management, and education.
Culmer first stepped foot into the classroom of higher learning 12 years after she graduated high school, to pursue an associate’s degree in psychology/sociology.
She said she was initially terrified. That first step led to her earning a bachelor’s degree in psychology/sociology, and she is now the proud recipient of a master’s degree.
“I was initially terrified about the whole college arena, to be honest. Knowing that I was comfortable getting by in high school made me question my ability to survive college. We have all heard the statement at one time or another that college is not for everyone, and I didn’t want to be at the negative end of that assertion. Nevertheless, I enrolled in a local college and decided to major in psychology/sociology. After the first semester, I was in love. I was amazed at the intrinsic motivation that developed. It created in me a love of learning. The more I learned, the more I wanted to continue.”
Culmer said the college experience for her was different when she compared it to high school.
“I’m sure it had something to do with maturity or spending my funds. Whatever it was … I was there for it. I’ll be the first one to admit that I was comfortable just making a passing grade in high school. Not knowing the true value of education, I was focused more on sports than academics. Therefore, I am the poster child, for it doesn’t matter where you start but how you finish,” she said.
“Albert Einstein said, ‘Education is what remains after one has forgotten what one has learned in school’. Whenever we talk about education, we fail to realize that gaining knowledge is just one aspect of education. As John Dewey said ‘education is not preparation for life; education is life itself’. Education is important to me because it is a tool that gives us knowledge, information, and new skills. It makes us a better person every day. It gives me the ability to think differently, be informed, initiate creativity, and makes me marketable while helping me fulfill my true potential.”
Culmer said she was fully engaged in the education process, even during studies toward her bachelor’s degree when she was diagnosed with stage one breast cancer – news she said hit her like a ton of bricks. But through four months of chemotherapy, five surgeries, many sleepless nights, and difficult days, she said she never lost the passion and love she developed for learning and education.
“If anything, it ignited my desire and zest for life and learning even more.”
Today, Culmer boasts of being a five-year cancer survivor, and of having earned a master’s degree.
But getting to today she said did not come without its fair share of challenges, which she said reinforced not only her will, but her confidence and ability to confront future obstacles.
She said it often seemed that there was not enough time to meet the demands of college courses. And that virtual learning provided not only a convenient alternative for her busy life, but at the same token, was challenging and rewarding.
“The challenging component for me was that during the virtual semester, the lecturers were inclined to give more assignments than during the face-to-face semesters – with the same impractical deadlines.”
“Challenges are a part of everyday life. They make us stronger and push us to overcome adversity against all odds. There were many challenges during my educational journey, with the most prominent being constant checkups, and monitoring as a result of being a cancer survivor. During that time, I was on three-month visits to the Cancer Treatment Centers of America, Atlanta, Georgia, and as a result, had to become perfect at time management and prioritizing due to my constant travels during semesters. Many family members and friends asked me, ‘Kenya, how do you do it?’ The words of Bob Marley would always come to mind, ‘You never know how strong you are until being strong is the only choice you have’. Additionally, graduate classes are intense, time-consuming, and require tons of presentations, research, and dedication to the program, which is stressful within itself.”
Thankfully, she was only two courses away from completing her master’s degree, which is offered via face-to-face instruction at Barry University – with classes held locally at Queen’s College’s campus on Village Road, when the COVID-19 pandemic reached Bahamian shores on March 15, 2019.
The mother of two – son Dhillyn and daughter Nevaeah – said her accomplishments also serve as an example to her children.
“Children are influenced by the world around them, but a parent’s actions and attitudes have the strongest influence over them – no matter their age. Children need positive influences – we see it frequently. They are always looking for role models or someone to imitate. By setting and accomplishing achievable goals, I am laying the foundational benchmark for effective goal setting, and execution. I want my kids and by extension my nieces and nephews to know that if I, a full-time student, police officer, wife, mother, part-time lecturer, and cancer survivor can take on a graduate degree, and complete it with a 4.00 GPA (grade point average), they can achieve anything they put their minds to. Furthermore, aside from helping them believe in themselves and setting them up for success, it also benefits them in other ways, including increasing awareness of their strengths and weaknesses, encouraging prioritization, and facilitating more effective decision making through better self-knowledge, direction, and focus.”
Culmer’s educational journey included numerous starts and stops. She graduated high school in 1996, and began studies toward an associate’s degree in 2008, a bachelor’s degree in 2013, and now a master’s degree.
No matter if she had pursued higher education straight out of high school, she said adjusting to college life is a whole new world for an incoming student whether fresh out of high school, or if they’re an older adult. And she stresses that family support is important in helping college students through transitional uncertainties, encouraging self-advocacy, and building caring relationships with classmates.
“My husband [Perez] and family were a huge source of support and motivation. I can recall countless occasions my husband had to assist our daughter with homework and assignments while I was neck-deep in projects.”
Additionally, she said the support she got from her fellow classmates through the process was welcomed. From their first day on campus, Culmer, one of an 18-member Bahamian cohort, said they were split into presentation groups for the duration of the program. Her group nicknamed itself “The Enforcers”. She said they started as classmates and became good friends.
“We would meet at my house to go over our presentations and assignments on countless occasions. We functioned so well together that it was astonishing how our chemistry amalgamated. I could not have achieved this accomplishment without their support,” she said.
A member of the Royal Bahamas Police Force (RBPF), Sergeant 2781 Curry has worked in various sections including Fire Services, Information Technology Department, and Mobile Patrol Division. She is currently posted at the Ministry of National Security in the National Anti-Drug Secretariat as a demand reduction officer and said she is looking forward to applying the skills and knowledge she gained to her job.
“The advantage of working in the Royal Bahamas Police Force is that the diversity of the work available to a police officer is extremely dynamic, due to the plethora of sections that an officer can work in. My master’s degree is in human resource development, and fortunately, the organization has a human resource department. The Royal Bahamas Police Force can unquestionably benefit from having trained and educated officers in the field of human resource development.”
As she continues to pursue higher education, Culmer said she is happy to do away with the “stigma” attached to education as it relates to law enforcement officers, which she said is that police officers are “uneducated and lack professionalism.”
“Having worked in the Royal Bahamas Police Force for many years, I am always taken aback by the responses I have received from friends and individuals from the general public as it relates to me seeking higher education. Two of the most common that I heard were, ‘Why are you going to school? You already have a job,’ or ‘Why are you doing your master’s?’ The force won’t pay you for that.’”
Graduating with Culmer, all with master’s degrees in human resource development, were fellow police officers: Assistant Superintendent of Police Leonard Ramsey, and Sergeant 1816 Kaivon Russell; along with Chedville Adams (Bahamas Immigration Department); Kellie Brown (educator); Kandice Eldon (University of The Bahamas); Samantha Forbes (educator); Griselda Hart (Department of Social Services); Donnicka Hepburn-Rolle (nurse); Mekia Mason (guidance counselor); Jasmine Morley (Ministry of Education); Tyeisha Neely (educator); Kendelynn Pennerman (educator); Verelle Perpall-Johnson (Ministry of Education); Shantell Poitier (nurse); Perrise Saunders-Simon (educator); Senovia Taylor-Smith (educator); and Shakena Shakespeare (training and development consultant).
“During my graduate degree, I have had the pleasure of meeting 17 intellectual, ambitious, and truly motivating individuals. We emanated from various fields, both in the public and private sector, still, we worked together as a unit – encouraging, and helping each other throughout the journey.”
Completing her master’s degree in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, she said, was one of mixed emotions.
Culmer was accustomed to meeting at the Queen’s College campus on Friday afternoons and Saturday mornings for classes, interacting with classmates, networking, and creating friendships. However, during the regular semester, there would always be a class done via Webmaster, so she said Barry University was always ahead of the game, once education went totally virtual due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Having completed both of my undergraduate degrees locally, I was looking forward to walking across an international stage with students from all around the world, with my mini delegation of family members and close friends from The Bahamas cheering me on. Despite my disappointments, I was thankful to God for allowing me to complete this major goal, along with my classmates who represented The Bahamas proudly during our virtual graduation ceremony,” she said.
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source https://thenassauguardian.com/satisfying-an-insatiable-appetite-for-learning/
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