Family First

Diashana M. Coleman, BA ’17, MSM ’20

Diashana M. Coleman can tell you that the most fruitful academic journeys rarely follow a direct path.

Immediately following high school, Diashana M. Coleman had the opportunity to attend a state university in New Jersey, but the experience was short-lived. Though her aspirations at the time included finishing college, life provided a different path for her – parenthood.

Coleman was 20 years old when her first son, TyQuan, was born. At age 25, she had her second son, Traevon.

“I had to make sure that my children, who are now adult men, were properly taken care of in every aspect – physically, academically, mentally, financially,” she explained. “My life’s journey has been that of putting family first, and I’ve worked hard to guarantee their overall stability in life. That journey, however, has not been easy and could not have been fruitful without the support and love of my family and friends who were always there and willing to ‘fill in the blanks’ and pick up the pieces as needed.”

With that support, Coleman was able to raise her children while working full time as a public servant, a field in which she now has 28 years of experience. During that time, she was introduced to Thomas Edison State University, decades before Coleman would attend as a student.

“My supervisor back in 1993 suggested to me, on numerous occasions, to look into completing my degree at Thomas Edison,” she recalled. “Unfortunately, at that time, it was impossible for me to pursue an education. For years, he continued to press me on my goal of returning to school and insisted that TESU would be ideal for me based on the affordable tuition rates and the flexibility of online learning, but still I did not take heed right away.”

After years of attending open houses, webinars and information sessions that the University hosted, Coleman decided it was time to take her shot, finally enrolling as time and opportunity seemed to be in perfect alignment alongside the affordability of the tuition plans offered by the University.

“I didn’t commit to actually attending TESU until May 2015,” Coleman said. “That was when it finally became time to enroll and accomplish the mission I had set for myself almost 30 years prior.”

In 2017, that mission was accomplished as Coleman earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminal Justice and qualified for the Arnold Fletcher Award for exceptional achievement in online learning by earning an overall grade point average of 3.5 or higher at the University. During her undergraduate study, she also became a recipient of the Wells Fargo Regional Foundation Scholarship.

“I chose to study criminal justice after one of my positions as a public servant involved reviewing and reporting crime statistics for the local housing authority,” Coleman explained. “There are so many interesting variables that unexpectedly come into play when looking at criminal acts occurring, such as climate trends, population, economy and more. I decided to pursue the formal education to support my interest, and it was intriguing to learn of the many theories and beliefs surrounding criminal behavior.”

From there, Coleman took things a step further, deciding to return to TESU to pursue her Master of Science in Management (MSM) degree in Public Service Administration and Leadership as an American Federation of Teachers (AFT) Local 4277 Scholarship recipient.

“It was time to combine everything I had learned through education with my recent responsibilities as a public servant, as I have spent quite some time in an administrative assistant or supervisory capacity,” Coleman said. “Just before COVID-19 became rampant in the area, I was reassigned to the public safety department to hone my skills while growing and honing my educational background in the field.”

Toward the end of March, Coleman’s job shifted as the COVID-19 lockdown took over the country. For her, the extra time allowed her to cross the finish line on her graduate education.

“I could focus my efforts solely on completing the remaining course work without the added concerns of juggling school and work as in the past. The final assignments were completed with ease and less stress than during my typical routine,” Coleman explained.

The completion and celebration of the achievement, however, has been difficult under the haze of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Honestly, I don’t think I have fully embraced the idea of completing my graduate degree although I received the physical degree document back in June, thus making it official,” Coleman said. “My feelings are like I’m sure those of many 2020 graduates, whether it is college, high school, middle school, etc. Something was missing in terms of the celebration of this major achievement. The chatter, thrill, hype surrounding graduation and all its splendor was truly overshadowed by COVID.”

“I must admit, the onset of COVID-19 with its fatalities and lockdowns earlier in the year have given me a newfound realization of just how precious life is and how being able to spend time with family and friends is paramount.”

Coleman resides in Union County with her family. Through the uncertainty that continues to send areas of the country, and the world, into differing states of quarantine, she is looking forward to discovering the future for herself, after spending so much of her life dedicated to the paths’ of her children.

“Now that my children are adults, and I have finally completed my graduate degree, I am now focusing on myself and trying to determine what I want my life to look like,” Coleman explained. “I might even look into possibly pursuing one of the certificate programs that are offered by TESU to complement my degrees.

“Time will tell.”