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Danielle Archambeault G'14
Within each of our Bay Path community members is an inspirational story of perseverance and strength, and we are honored to share them. This narrative originally appeared on social media as part of Bay Path's #MyPath.
I've got everything Bay Path has to offer. I have two different master's degrees. I have a certificate of academic graduate studies in autism spectrum disorders and am pursuing a Doctor of Health Science. Four out of five of my degrees come from Bay Path, so I guess you could call me an alum.
"Education was always important to me. I was homeless and working three jobs while pursuing my pre-law undergraduate degree. It was a challenge and I found myself going through the motions to obtain my degree and move on with my life.
"After graduating with my undergraduate degree, I was a private investigator, a bartender, and a personal trainer. As a trainer, I worked with clients who had different learning needs. That sparked my interest in special education and led me to work as a residential counselor. I loved the work, but I needed to learn more in order to best meet the needs of the students I supported. I decided to go to Bay Path, eight years after I finished my undergrad degree, to get my first master's degree in special education.
"While I pursued my second, third, and fourth degrees at Bay Path, my personal life was much different. I was able to dedicate more effort and energy to enjoying and exploring the college experience. I chose Bay Path because it offered courses of study in the areas I found most applicable to my work. I could access instruction remotely, on the night and weekends, at a pace I could keep up with. I could work, care for my children, and have a life while pursuing my educational goals.
"I am the first in my immediate family to pursue advanced courses of study. I am proud to show my two daughters - it doesn't matter where you came from or what you started as, as long as you remain true to your goals. I spent too much time worrying about what others thought about me, before I realized through my pursuit of education that nothing else matters if you focus on your purpose."—Danielle Archambeault, Ed.S., BCBA, LABA #MyPath
Danielle is the Director of Inclusive Education for a large urban school district in MA.