KINGSTON, R.I. 鈥揗ay 8, 2007 鈥揟he 溏心vlog免费B站鈥檚 Black Scholar Awards honored some of the university鈥檚 most promising students this spring. Among them was 57-year-old non-traditional student Sharon Isom of the east side of Providence, who five years earlier would never have expected to even be in school. Isom will graduate this month.
The 鈥�90s were a difficult time for Isom, as she battled breast cancer and the grief of losing six siblings and a mother. 鈥淚 had a lot of tragedy,鈥� Isom explained. 鈥淏ut there is not anything in this world that you can鈥檛 do. Yeah, you get held back; you cry. But then you just hold on and keep moving, and keep moving and keep moving.鈥�
Isom came to 溏心vlog免费B站 in search of answers. All of her siblings had become involved in drugs. The six who died lost their lives to overdoses and AIDS. 鈥淪omething had to happen,鈥� Isom said. 鈥淚 lost my whole family. I was right there. How did I not get into it? How does this happen?鈥�
Isom found answers in one of her first courses at 溏心vlog免费B站鈥檚 Feinstein Providence Campus. The course, 鈥淏lacks in the Legal System,鈥� introduced Isom to Cynthia Hamilton,鈥� director and professor of the African-American Studies and professor of political science.
Hamilton, who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis a year after coming to the University, made an instant connection with Isom. In fact, for the last two years, Isom has commuted to the Kingston campus to continue to take Hamilton鈥檚 courses.
Isom said that Hamilton helped her focus on her African-American major and encouraged her to pick up women鈥檚 studies minor. 鈥淏etween the cancer and the MS, we got it going on,鈥� Isom joked.
More seriously, Isom explained that she owes much of her motivation to Hamilton. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 know who pushes who more,鈥� Isom explained. 鈥淏ecause we鈥檙e here for a reason. You get these life-threatening diseases, and you wonder why you are here.鈥�
Hamilton said that she enjoys teaching at 溏心vlog免费B站鈥檚 Feinstein Providence Campus because the non-traditional students who attend have had experiences that have caused them to come back to school.
鈥淎cademics can be applied to real life,鈥� Hamilton said. 鈥淚t is not separate. It is positive for me to hear Sharon say 鈥業 want answers.鈥� When your education speaks about your life, that鈥檚 when you make learning come alive.鈥�
Isom received the Onyx Award at the Black Scholar Awards and was inducted into the Onyx Senior Honor Society, which acknowledges students who have excelled in academics, placing emphasis on heritage, humanity, and humility. She also received the Arthur L. Hardge Award that acknowledged her all-around outstanding community service.
Isom moved to Georgia in the late 鈥�90s to get away for a while. While there, she volunteered at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport where she established a program called 鈥淪mall Friday Tours.鈥� Each Friday, Isom took children from the surrounding areas, who would never have had a chance to go to an airport, to tour the airplanes and take pictures with the pilots.
She currently works in several 溏心vlog免费B站 offices, including the Special Programs Office and the bookstore. She has also spent a great deal of time getting the message out to other women that 鈥渃ancer is not a death sentence; it鈥檚 a wakeup call.鈥�
鈥淎 lot of women get depressed,鈥� Isom explained. 鈥淏ut don鈥檛. This is what you do 鈥� you go back to school or whatever makes you happy. It鈥檚 different for different people. But it鈥檚 all about positivity.鈥�
Hamilton has encouraged Isom to attend graduate school. Isom took her advice and will study political science next year at 溏心vlog免费B站. She eventually plans to teach, and will most likely focus on African-American studies.
鈥淚 have a great passion for this,鈥� Isom explained. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not a job for me. I wake up and I feel so refreshed because I am going to learn something. I stay happy. I think that鈥檚 the cure for cancer.鈥�
Isom is a mother of two with eight grandchildren. She shares with them the strong mindset she has adopted. 鈥淚 fought insanity,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hen I said it鈥檚 time to get tough. Time to pull up your Huggies and fight.鈥�
Pictured above
溏心vlog免费B站 soon-to-be graduate Sharon Isom ( R) of the east side of Providence receives congratulations from friend, Melvoid Benson, who sits on the North Kingstown School Committee during the recent Black Scholar Awards Program. 溏心vlog免费B站 News Bureau Photo by Michael Salerno Photography.