Terrence Jones of Raleigh, North Carolina, should have been a concert pianist. In fact, he graduated in 1998 with a Bachelor of Music degree in performance piano from Virginia State University. But there was one small problem.

“I walked the stage and got my degree, but I never actually finished my recital,” Terrence laughs today. “I completed all the coursework, but hey, it’s difficult to memorize an hour-long recital and then play it for an audience from memory.”

We recently had the pleasure of catching up with Diana Pham, a student in the Associate Degree of Marketing program at Ashworth College and recipient of the prestigious Gary Keisling ACCESS Scholarship. The Gary Keisling Ashworth College Continuing Education for Student Success (ACCESS) Scholarship program awards up to $25,000 annually to new and prospective diploma and degree students. Winners are selected based on essay submissions, work/volunteer experience, and grade point average.

In our GO AFTER IT blog series, you'll meet fellow students and grads who committed themselves to chasing their dreams and proving it pays to GO AHEAD toward better opportunities — no matter the obstacles to be overcome.

When Kevin Kays enrolled in the Associate Degree Program in Construction Management, it had been more than a decade since he had attended any kind of school. Because he was working full time in the construction business, convenience was on his mind as he began researching online colleges. He needed a flexible program of study that was affordable and would lead to a degree. He also wanted the freedom to learn at his own pace so he could finish his studies sooner rather than later.

In our GO AFTER IT blog series, you'll meet fellow students and grads who committed themselves to chasing their dreams and proving it pays to GO AHEAD toward better opportunities -- no matter the obstacles to be overcome.

Pharmacy Technician student Julie Mustin is a renaissance woman. She has worked as a trucker for a decade, raised a special needs child as a single mother, and earned a teaching assistant diploma through Ashworth College – all at the same time and without giving up her job or her social life.