CLAREMORE, Okla. — Leisa Railey, 58, is just weeks shy of getting her master’s degree. She works full-time while attending Rogers State University.
“I am the oldest one here, but they don’t treat me that way,” she said of her classmates.
Railey graduated high school in 1983 with dreams of going to college, but as she put it, “life happens.” She got married and became a mom. She eventually had four children and became a single mom, so she went to work to support her family.
It wasn’t until an injury at a manufacturing job that Leisa was out of work. At that point, she began her education. She got an Associate’s degree and worked as a legal assistant. Then, she got injured again during a surgery-gone-wrong. It was a situation in the hospital that nearly killed her.
“Those injuries took me off work,” she said. “I got put on disability.”
While recovering, she went to RSU a second time to study psychology. It was her son’s idea. He said she was always helpful when he struggled with behavioral or emotional issues.
“You know as a parent you always wonder if you’re doing a good job,” she said. “That made me feel like I was doing something right.”
While pursuing a Bachelor’s degree, Leisa fell on hard times again. This time her car got repossessed and, for a time, had nowhere to live. Someone anonymously nudged administrators at Rogers State University who found student housing availability for her. Through financial aid, she lived there with her son.
“My son had a big dog at the time, a support dog,” she said. “They said, ‘no problem, bring him, too.’”
To say Leisa’s journey had hurdles is an understatement, but she’s not about to let age get in her way.
“I would rather have a few years or a short time doing my dream job that sitting back wishing I would have,” she said.
Leisa will now pay forward that help along the way by getting her Master’s degree in Community Counseling. She wants to become a licensed therapist. Graduation is in May.
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