Grit at Work: April Mitchell Surratt

I’m April Mitchell Surratt, and I’m a 46-year-old wife, mom, and business owner from Knightdale, NC. I’ve been working as a hairstylist for the past ten years, and while I love that job, I’ve always loved working with technology and wanted to pursue a career in that field. I attended N.C. State University after graduating high school but left after two years. Completing my degree had always been a goal for several years, and I had looked into it a few times. Until recently, distance education opportunities weren’t widely available, and my work and family obligations restricted my ability to attend campus every day. When my children had to learn from home in 2020 due to the pandemic, I saw how far technology had come regarding online education. I decided to re-visit my search for educational opportunities for myself. After looking into several other universities, I knew ECU was the best place to meet my needs and allow me to meet my goals.

I was so nervous about taking my first class and remember asking my advisor multiple times, “what if I can’t do it?” She reassured me, helped me find a course load that flowed well together, and allowed me to be challenged concurrently. Her encouragement and support were very helpful that first semester when I went in with a lot of hesitation and self-doubt. I wanted to succeed, but my priority was my two young children and ensuring I was still meeting their needs and staying available. After about four weeks, my husband and I got into a groove that would take our family through the next two years.

I took five classes my first semester, one being in the unique “Winter Session” due to Covid. I finished the first semester with straight As thanks to my family and professors’ support. Throughout my journey at ECU, I attended office sessions as often as I needed to and was always met with abundant help from my instructors. They have been monumental in my success here, and I’m forever grateful to a number of them and feel like the connection I have with them will last long after graduation. ECU’s resources, including free tutoring, a writing center, and resume reviews, have greatly benefited me while pursuing my degree.

ECU has genuinely been the whole package for me and my distance education. I’ve learned skills relative to the career I’m pursuing and feel confident entering a new field with my new skillset. The College of Business has been generous in providing scholarships to make it affordable for me to attend and ECUAward on PiratePort made it easy to apply. Lastly, I’m taking away several great friendships I’ve made. The support of other students in the DE program has made it a great experience, and the laughs we’ve shared along the way are one more thing I hope will stay with me.

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