How a Working Mother Built a Career in Mental Health Advocacy | Degrees of Success Podcast Ep #35

🔍 What this alumni story helps explain How working adults can build purpose-driven careers through education, resilience, and advocacy. This episode explains how lived experience, flexible learning, and long-term persistence can lead to meaningful work in mental health and community leadership. In this episode of Degrees of Success, University of Phoenix alum Schwanna Jenkins shares how she navigated single motherhood, career pivots, and higher education while becoming a mental health advocate and epilepsy awareness leader. This discussion is intended to help working adults understand how to align education with purpose, manage life disruptions, and pursue advocacy-driven careers. ⭐️ Key takeaways from this episode: ✓ How working adults can pivot careers while managing family responsibilities ✓ What to consider when returning to school during major life challenges ✓ Why lived experience can become professional expertise in mental health and advocacy ✓ How education can support long-term career reinvention and leadership ✓ Career reinvention — transitioning from banking and cybersecurity into mental health and social work ✓ Education pathway — earning degrees while working, parenting, and caregiving ✓ Advocacy through lived experience — turning personal challenges into public impact ✓ Mental health practice — meeting people where they are with empathy and accountability 📖 Chapters: Jump to Key Moments 00:00 - The Journey of Purpose and Service 07:27 - Navigating Life's Challenges and Military Service 14:09 - Finding a Path in Social Work 17:30 - The Impact of Epilepsy on Family Life 23:48 - Advocacy and Raising Awareness for Epilepsy Learn more about Criminal Justice programs at UOPX! 👉 https://www.phoenix.edu/info/criminal-justice.html Subscribe for more powerful success stories and mindset strategies! 👉 https://www.youtube.com/@UOPXDegreesOfSuccessPodcast Alumni Chronicles | Magazine 👉 https://www.phoenix.edu/blog/alumni-chronicles/magazine.html Alumni Chronicles | Main Page 👉 https://www.phoenix.edu/blog/alumni-chronicles.html Explore the Degrees of Success Podcast Page 👉 https://www.phoenix.edu/blog/alumni-chronicles/podcast.html Explore the University of Phoenix 👉 https://www.phoenix.edu/ ⭐️ Connect with us on social! ►TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@uopx ► Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/universityofphoenix ► Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uopxalumni/ ► Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uopx/ ► LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/school/university-of-phoenix/ ► X: https://x.com/UOPX Thinking about attending UOPX online? 📱 Request info today: https://www.phoenix.edu/request/request-information 💻 Apply to one of UOPX’s online programs today: https://rb.gy/k0a75c 🎓 Find your degree program University of Phoenix: https://www.phoenix.edu/online-degrees/find-your-program.html