To the Editor: "You can do anything you set your mind to."

DEAR EDITOR,

I’ve always wanted to be a writer and teacher. I loved expressing myself through writing at an early age, creating poetry from time to time. Upon high school graduation, I was determined to make it happen.

I started my post-secondary education journey at Illinois Central College. There, I completed my associate’s degree in English and Spanish. I then made my way to Western Illinois University with a plan to earn a bachelor’s of English. Things soon took an unexpected turn—I made the difficult decision to drop out due to personal and financial constraints, and I returned home to work and save money.

Over the next several years, I worked in a variety of occupations: from fast food to attending the Army ROTC in Kentucky. Finishing my bachelor’s degree remained top priority. Unfortunately, I was still unable to earn enough to reenroll at Western. (The reality was that I could barely make ends meet to survive.)

Returning to college no longer seemed to be a reality. Then, a friend encouraged me to enroll at Robert Morris University of Illinois’ Peoria campus. I was pleased to learn that many of my courses from Western would transfer. So, I said “yes.” I joined Robert Morris’ business program, and my dream to teach shifted from secondary education to college-level business management.

At Robert Morris, I met Professor Jane Wendroff Craps. Jane was one of my first professors, and she taught (what is now) one of my favorite courses—English Literature! I loved her enthusiasm. She became a mentor to me, and she encouraged me to become a student worker on campus. I worked with her for the next two years.

Jane always said, “You can do anything you set your mind to.” Those words and her support made quite an impression on me. There were plenty of days that I wanted to give up. I’d later work two part-time jobs. Some days I’d go without eating so I could have money to pay for books and keep a roof over my head. My motivation to continue? The value of an education was important, especially as a Black Woman. And both of my parents attended college and had successful careers: my mom was a nurse and my dad worked in the government sector. I also wanted to go further than my parents. Additionally, the sacrifices made by individuals like Dr. King and Thurgood Marshall inspired me to do more.

In 2006, I graduated magna cum laude and was inducted into the Sigma Beta Delta international honor society. I continued working and I completed my AmeriCorps Volunteers in Service to America service. I was able to save enough money to return to Robert Morris in 2009, beginning work on my master’s degree. Jane invited me to become her graduate teaching assistant—I was responsible for tutoring, helping professors prepare exams and input grades into Blackboard. (This work would later inspire me to apply for my first online professor role with Bellevue University in August 2020.)

I completed my Master of Business Administration with honors in 2011. Since, I’ve continued to gain professional experience: as a project assistant, as an instructional designer, and through online teaching. I’ve also completed a graduate certificate in human resources management from Herzing University.

I teach business management, human resources and DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) courses for Bellevue University. I’m also an instructional designer for textbooks through Pearson Education and WiseWire. I am especially proud to own Robi Resume & Writing Services—a small business specializing in resumes, interview preparation, and e-book editing and development.

I write pieces on career advice, such as Navigating Success: Trade School Options for High School Graduates. Also, I’ve co-author anthologies on workplace and hair discrimination among Black Women—Shut’Em Down: Black Women, Racism and Corporate America and Can’t Tell Me Nothing: The Uncomfortable Hair Truths of Black Women.

I know that my younger self would be quite proud of who I am today. That goal of becoming a teacher and writer has been met—even if the journey didn’t go as planned. For me, being a lifelong learner has helped me become a better person and role model for others.

Sincerely,
Nyrobi Wheeler (she/her), BSBA ’06, MBA ’11