They have their own 'sister act'
By Phyllis Moore
Published in News on July 9, 2006 2:00 AM
MOUNT OLIVE -- They grew up as sisters and have shared the experience of becoming wives and mothers. And in May, Beverly Gainey Bradshaw and Barbara Gainey Carter received their college diplomas together.
Mrs. Bradshaw and Mrs. Carter, both of Clinton, graduated from Mount Olive College on May 6.
They already had their associate degrees but decided to further their educations. But as working mothers, the siblings said they didn't know how to fit one more activity into their already hectic schedules.
That's when Mrs. Bradshaw, a Sampson County school nurse, and Mrs. Carter, a clinical instructor at Johnston Community College, learned about the Management and Organizational Development Program at Mount Olive College.
The program is one of several accelerated programs the college offers. It meets one night a week for four hours, allowing students with full-time jobs to continue their regular work routine. Courses are presented in sequential order and books are provided to the students the week before each course begins, along with the next week's assignments.
For working adults, such amenities have made the difference in their educational pursuits.
"MOC's Management and Organizational Development program really worked well for me. I didn't feel that I was away from my family as much as I would be with traditional classes," Mrs. Carter said.
The women agreed that it took a combination of self-discipline, prayer and a tremendous amount of help from family to help them reach graduation day.
"We provided each other with lots of support and encouragement," Mrs. Bradshaw said. "It would have been a lot harder if I would have had to do it all without Barbara. She and my brother, Jeff, are my best friends. There is nothing on earth like a close family, and we were blessed with one."
"I am so glad that I did not give up when times were tough," Mrs. Carter said. "It means a lot to have that degree. To anyone that thinks you can't go back to college because you have a family, job, and are older, we are proof that it can be done."
Mrs. Carter, 37, and Mrs. Bradshaw, 34, are the daughters of J.L. and Doris Gainey. Mrs. Carter and her husband, Terry, have two children, Breanna, 10 and Haley, 2. Mrs. Bradshaw and her husband, Scott, have a 9-year-old daughter, Blair.
For more information about the Management and Organizational Development program at Mount Olive College, contact the Office of Admissions at 1-800-653-0854. The next cohort is scheduled to begin on Aug. 7 in Mount Olive. Applications are currently being accepted.