Charles Steward

1.

I wanted to go to college but didn't know if I would be able to since no one else in my family had gone.

2.

I graduated from high school with good grades and was accepted into Midwestern State University. My goal was to receive my degree, attend graduate school, and become a teacher and coach.

3.

While at Midwestern State, I participated in football, Olympic weightlifting, and became a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, the first intercollegiate fraternity for African-American students.

4.

During my senior year at Midwestern, I met my wife. We later found out we were having a baby together, which eventually forced us both to drop out of college in order to work full-time.

5.

During the year and a half that I was out of school, we suffered major financial hardships and near homelessness.

6.

I was able to re-enroll at Midwestern and finish my degree in December of 2006. My graduation day was one of the happiest days of my life, considering everything I'd gone through.

7.

Following my graduation, I sacrificed my dream of becoming a teacher and coach for nearly a decade so my wife could excel in her own career goals. The plan worked, as she is highly successful now.

8.

My wife and I were married in 2009, had another daughter in 2011, and I finally became a teacher and coach in 2015. This is the career I've always wanted, and I love coming to work every day!