Abigail Gregory, Education
By Caitlin Hofen
Abigail Gregory, ’24, enrolled initially at Northwestern as a nursing major, but the birth of her first child caused her to rethink her career path. She then changed to early childhood education.
“I’m expecting my second child, so I had to do an appeal to start the master’s program in school counseling,” Gregory said. “I also had to push back my student teaching an extra semester.
“I always wanted to do something where I could help people; that’s why I started in nursing. Through education, I’ll be helping differently. I’ll shape children’s minds and be a positive role model. That’s important because not everyone comes from a positive home life. Teachers wear many different hats, though it’s not what they’re paid to do.”
Gregory primarily attends classes on the Woodward campus, where she serves as the Woodward Leadership Advisory Board president. She is also an active member of the Oklahoma Aspiring Educators Association (OAEA) and Conserving Our Ranger Environment (CORE).
Gregory said she chose to attend Northwestern because of its small class sizes.
“When you walk in the classroom, you’re called by name, not just a number. I know all my classmates and professors personally and will stay in contact with them after graduation. Seeing how the professors care about each student has been positive and encouraging.”
Creating a Better Life
Gregory’s father passed away when she was a freshman in high school, causing her to move in with a friend’s family and take on tasks most teenagers don’t have to face.
“It made me grow up faster than most people,” Gregory said. “I started working when I was 15 years old. Instead of having sleepovers on the weekends, I was going to work at 4 a.m. every Saturday and Sunday. It’s not what the typical high schooler has to do, but it taught me to be a motivated, hard worker.”
Gregory has set high goals as she has progressed through her academic journey.
“No one expected me to get a bachelor’s degree, let alone a master’s, so I am incredibly proud of the work I’ve put into my education. I want to be a good role model and positively impact as many children as possible, including my own.
“I want to make sure my kids have a much better life than I ever did, and they never have the struggles I did. Unfortunately, I can’t protect them from all the evil in the world, but I can ensure they aren’t worried about things like finances at a young age like I was. My husband and I want to provide them with a better life than I had.
“I believe you don’t have to be smart to go to college; you just have to work hard. Many people believe you need to have prior knowledge, but you have to want to do it. You’re not supposed to know it all beforehand. Learning is part of the journey.”