Kimberly Chambers

When Kimberly Chambers (BAAS ’24) decided to return to school, she wanted her educational experience to be exceptional. She had raised three children, managed the administrative side of her husband’s portrait painting business, and worked as a public school bus driver even as she completed her associate degree with an online community college. “I postponed my college education and my dreams at 18 years old. Fast-forward all these years, and I had my sights set on transferring into an institution that was going to offer me a really stellar education,” she recalls. “I started doing the research on Penn, and the more I dug into the LPS program, the more I was captivated by it.” The Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences degree at Penn gave Kim the high-quality education she was looking for—and a journey of self-expression she didn’t expect.

When Kim began her undergraduate degree, she focused on early childhood development and education; as a school bus driver, she had formed meaningful connections with the students in her care and gained insight into their developmental needs. “I would consider myself a lifelong learner, and because I love kids, I thought I wanted to be a teacher,” she continues. “But when I transferred over to Penn and I enrolled in all these writing classes, it lit a fire in me.” One of the first courses she completed was CRWR 1600: Modern and Contemporary US Poetry; although she was initially nervous about diving into poetry, she quickly became immersed in weekly discussions with her instructors and peers. She felt particularly drawn to Emily Dickinson’s poem “I Dwell in Possibility,” with its imagery of limitless prospects. “That was the ignition for me,” she reflects. “I learned how to dissect poems and understand them on levels that were fascinating to me.” Although Kim originally planned to customize an Individualized Studies degree concentration—ideal for students transferring in credits—she switched her concentration to Creative Studies within a semester. By her graduation date, she had earned an Advanced Certificate in Creative Writing along with her degree.

“The beauty of writing classes is that it allows you to explore who you are as a person, and then you get to express that how you want to,” says Kim. “All of my writing classes at Penn brought different features. Each instructor is bringing their background into it, and it just creates this incredible kaleidoscope. Everybody was very respectful of one another, their thoughts, their interpretations. And with some of the students, I wound up forming friendships.” For example, Kim connected with creative writing classmates who live in various cities from New Hampshire to Philadelphia; the group continues to meet online to support one another as they pursue their respective writing goals.  “It's beautiful that technology allows us to continue these relationships outside of school as well,” says Kim.

Kim continued to work as she completed her online degree, often bringing her coursework along for the ride. “I have my laptop with me everywhere I go, because whenever I have some downtime, my laptop's out and I'm reading and I'm starting assignments,” she says. At the beginning of each term, she would look over her course syllabi and map out her schedule for each week; being able to look ahead meant she could manage school along with work and home-life responsibilities. “Life happens, but having the opportunity to take classes online has made this entirely possible,” she adds. Even so, balancing a degree with work and family responsibilities is challenging, and Kim appreciates all of the support that has been available to her through the program. “The entire process that I've been here at Penn has pretty much been flawless, and I don't say that lightly,” she says. “The support I got from my academic advisor was wonderful. Professors and instructors have been very supportive and available.” Kim was also awarded the Bread Upon the Waters Scholarship, a tuition grant for adult women over 30 pursuing their undergraduate degrees. “The generosity behind Bread Upon the Waters is a beautiful thing,” she reflects. “It's really philanthropy in its finest. The people that have given the money are giving women this opportunity to get a solid education.”

Now that her college education is complete, Kim has a number of creative projects in the works: fiction, nonfiction, and a series of childrens’ books that explore human virtues through talking animals. “I have a solid vision for my future. I am actually excited to graduate so that I can devote more time to my writing,” she says. “That’s what I’m hoping to continue doing for the rest of my life.”

“I raised three beautiful children who have all been in college. But for me to go back to school and do this all the way to the end, to do really well with it and then just walk away with all the skills and relationships that I have… it's a significant highlight to my life,” she concludes. “I feel much more confident. I have become more empathetic to the world around me. I feel a greater freedom to pursue the things in life that have meaning and purpose.”