Second Chance at Education for Retired Postal Worker

ECPI University Graduate Surprises Family, Fulfills Lifelong Goal

After three years in the military and 33 years working in the U.S. Postal Service, Carrie Dunson’s body was beginning to wear out. As a mail handler, she was accustomed to lugging around 70- to 80-pound bags of mail all throughout the day. It was physically-demanding work. In fact, Carrie broke new ground when she became the first woman in Richmond to be hired for that position. “I love the idea of being the first, and I did my job with pride,” she says.

Still it was not the career she dreamed of as little girl. Carrie wanted to work in hospital or doctor’s office. “I used to pull out one of those big volumes of the old World Book Encyclopedia and read all about Florence Nightingale,” says Carrie. “I wanted to be her!” Several times during her three decades at the post office, she attempted to take college courses with that goal in mind, but as she puts it, “life got in the way.” Children came into the world and there were only so many hours available in each day.

Last year, Carrie realized the physical nature of her work was taking its toll. So at age 57, she resolved to return to school one last time. However, she told no one but her husband. “My family had seen how upsetting it was for me when I had dropped out in the past and I just didn’t want to disappoint them,” she says. “This time, I just wanted to keep it to myself. Out of my seven brothers and sisters, I had just one brother who got a college degree. None of my own children had a college degree and now my grandchildren were beginning to reach college age. I’m like, somebody’s got to do this!”

Carrie began looking at schools and programs, then settled on the Medical Assisting program at ECPI University’s Richmond/Moorefield campus. “This was my final attempt to grasp a piece of my dream,” she says. This time, Carrie made it, and she credits the support of the faculty and her advisors for helping her fulfill her dream. “They truly wanted me to succeed. I could see how much they cared.”

With a 3.77 GPA and a job offer from her externship site under her belt, it was time to for Carrie to let her family in on what she’d been doing the past year or so. “I invited everyone to dinner,” she says. “I went into the other room, put on my scrubs, grabbed my dean’s list certificate, and then returned to make the big the announcement. It was wonderful evening.”

At least 15 of those family members will be on hand at Carrie’s graduation on June 15. “I can’t wait to share that moment with them,” she says. “I really hope this will inspire my grandchildren to go on to college and put some acronyms behind their name and that they not become satisfied with just a high school diploma alone.” 

Are you interested in taking another shot at earning a college degree? If you are interested in earning an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Health Science with a Focus in Medical Assisting, ECPI University offers this degree program. For more information, connect with one of our knowledgeable admissions team members today.

It could be the Best Decision You Ever Make!

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Gainful Employment Information – Medical Assisting – Associate’s

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