2.  Born December 16, 1983  Shreveport, LA  Oldest of 2 girls  Enlisted in the US Army January 2001  Honorable Discharge March 2009

3.  Mother of one 3-year old toddler  Executive Assistant  Nursery Care Worker  MAED/ECE Specialization

4.  Business Owner— Cabbage Patch Kids Nursery  “Soccer Mom”  Active Community Leader

5. Hello fellow Ashford students, I am very pleased to meet you! My name is Marquita Brown, and I am a 30-year-old single mother of one very rambunctious/strong-willed 3-year old. Currently, I reside in my hometown, Shreveport, Louisiana, where I am employed as an Executive Assistant on the local Air Force base. However, I am applying for child development center positions at various Army posts with hopes of relocating somewhere in the Virginia area by this time next. I enjoy spending time with my family, reading, traveling, cooking, going to the movies and trying new things.

6. I have been an Ashford student since October 2009 and this past January earned my Bachelors Degree in Early Childhood Education. After that accomplishment, I took a couple months off to enjoy some free time, with no academic requirements, as well as look at various means of obtaining professional experience in the ECE field. After a few months of having too much time on my hands from lack of school work, I decided to continue my educational pursuits and am now five classes into obtaining a Masters in Education with an Early Childhood Education specialization. I believe having a Masters in Education, as well as obtaining professional experience, will provide the credibility and necessary groundwork to assist me in my long-term professional goal—opening my own daycare facility.

7. Although I have a love for education, my heart is with our youngest students. There is something rewarding about teaching a person lifelong skills they will use for the duration of their lives. Learning to use utensils properly, tying your shoe, walking—being the person that has a hand in someone learning or reinforcing that is fulfilling and rewarding to me. To be that person that affects someone’s life so much they will forever remember them has to be an amazing feeling. As a matter of fact, two such educators that touched my life and set me on the path I’m on now are my Kindergarten and 3 rd /4 th grade teachers—Mrs. Vasper and Mrs. Hardman, respectively. Both teachers were so passionate, devoted and caring, the personal lessons they taught me all those years ago are those characteristics that shaped me into the person I am today.

8. One educational quote I am particularly fond of is the following Chinese Proverb—“Tell me and I’ll forget; show me and I may remember; involve me and I’ll understand.” I believe this quote made such an impression on me because it embodies my learning process. Although I can read something and understand it with no problem more often than not, I love hands- on learning and feel a concept is more easily understood when one is able to personally apply what is being taught. Take cooking for instance. Although you can read a recipe, understand the instructions and mentally apply the steps to create a wonderful dish, we all know, unless of course you are a culinary genius, the first time we attempt a new recipe does not always go as planned. Oftentimes, it takes numerous attempts, trial and error, tastes/feedback and other key steps to perfect the recipe to your and your family’s liking. I think the same applies to other tasks as well.

9. Before I end my introduction, I would like to take the time to congratulate you all on furthering your educations as well and look forward to getting to know all of you via our discussions over the next six weeks. Good luck and off we go on yet another educational journey!