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WGU Graduate Speaker, Heyde Mitchell

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Title: 
WGU Graduate Speaker, Heyde Mitchell
Creator: 
Western Governors University
Date: 
2017.10.21
Description: 
<p>WGU Indiana graduate Heyde Mitchell spoke at the WGU 2017 regional commencement in Indianapolis.</p> <p>Heye Mitchell earned her Master of Business Administration.</p> <p>Transcription of video:</p> <p>Heyde Mitchell: One in three women and one in four men are either in, or have been in an abusive relationship. Take a look around you and really take in what that means, and let me say it again: One in three women, and one in four men are either in, or have been in an abusive relationship. </p> <p>During my 14 months with WGU, I have been beaten, yelled at, sleep deprived and shot at by my now ex husband, all while raising my two girls. I was being abused by my husband by every means necessary: Financially, verbally, emotionally, and physically. I wanted to be freed from this life. I explained to him, I was working on myself, and if he didn't start working on himself, he was gonna get left behind. </p> <p>That's when I decided to go back to school, and chose WGU because of it being online. I could do my schooling first thing in the morning before my girls would even get up, so they didn't feel like I was taking time from them. I chose to get my MBA through WGU in hopes of a promotion at work. With that, I wanted to get done with the MBA as soon as I could. </p> <p>Halfway through the degree I was on track to finish within 12 months. That's when my husband went further than he had ever gone and tried to kill me. He tried to shoot me. Not once, twice. The second time my husband tried to shoot me, he had been drinking all day. I asked him to go to bed because I knew if he hadn't, he was going to get angry. </p> <p>He didn't listen. I had to take my two daughters away from him. I asked him to please go to bed and sleep it off while we drove around in the car for a while. The second attempt of coming back home, I told the kids to stay in the car while I checked in on their dad. There was a fight. I was able to push him onto our bed, and told him to go to sleep. He looked me straight in the eyes and said, "I don't love you, I don't care about you. I'm going to kill you." </p> <p>He threw me over the bed, and I hit our dresser. He went running into our closet, grabbed the rifle, and pointed it at me. I pushed the rifle away, pushed him back into the closet. I ran out to the car with him following behind me. I got into the car, locked the doors. He put his foot under the car to stop me and said, "Now what, you gonna run over my foot?" I said, "Watch me." I ran over his foot and never looked back. [Applause] </p> <p>This is when I knew I needed to end this relationship sooner rather than later. We had been married for 17 years and I knew this was not going to be an easy task. See, I'd been married to him since I was 18 years old. I needed to be independent for the first time in my life. </p> <p>I finished up my MBA within 14 months, my mentor Amy, was with me every step of the way. I was going through an ugly divorce, and trying to go to school. Amy kept me going and kept me on pace by holding me accountable for the progress that I was making and did some hand holding when I was struggling. </p> <p>On a Monday in February, I received notice that my divorce was final. Tuesday, I received notification from WGU that I had finished my MBA program. Wednesday, I received a promotion. [Applause] </p> <p>WGU allowed me the flexibility and accountability needed for me to become a success story. The confidence that WGU has given me has allowed me to share my story and start a domestic violence awareness program at my place of employment with over 10,000 employees. [Applause] </p> <p>We are all we are all success stories. Share yours and be a motivation as others are going through the same thing. Thank you. [Applause] </p>
Publisher: 
Western Governors University
Rights: 
© 2017 Western Governors University - WGU. All Rights Reserved.
Original Format: 
Commencement Video
Digital Format: 
MP4 (Moving Picture Experts Group)