Alumna’s many journeys lead to one degree

When Karla Madrid-Davidson ’23 came to the U.S. from Honduras as a little girl, she dreamed of attending college. In the years that followed, she served in the U.S. military and worked for the federal government. By any measure, she had led a full life. But she still wanted to fulfill the dream of completing her bachelor’s degree.

 So she began applying to universities, and Messiah University stood out.

“At first, it was very intimidating because I’m an older person,” she said. “I don’t know if I’m going to fit in with the culture. I know the education will be aligned with my Christian principles and values, but I don’t know if I’m going to enjoy being almost the same age as a professor. But I have to do this. The worst obstacles that you can encounter are the ones that you put in front of yourself. I’m just gonna jump in.” 

She enrolled in the spring semester of 2021. Since she lives in Waynesboro, Pennsylvania, she commuted.

A commitment to family

This wasn’t her first college experience. In the ’90s, she had completed an associate degree in accounting at Keiser University in Florida. Since she and her family came to Miami from Honduras when she was 13, she felt a responsibility support her mother and younger siblings.

“My family moved to the States mainly because of economical reasons, so I don’t come from a family with a lot of money,” Madrid-Davidson said. “After I graduated from high school, my mom wanted me to get a faster degree that put me in college for two years and that’s it. In my culture, the oldest one has a lot of weight on their shoulders. You have to support the family. I had to be able to help my mom to pay the bills and help my sisters and brother.”

She worked as an accountant in an accounts-receivable office but then joined the military. After 11.5 years of military service in the Army and Air Force, she worked for the federal government for 13 years, which transferred her and her husband from Florida to Pennsylvania. Her job then took her to Kuwait, Iraq and Saudi Arabia. After spending the pandemic in Saudi Arabia, she returned to the States.

“When I came back from Saudi, I tried to go back to work at my old agency, but I needed a break. So I resigned from my job. I started applying at universities. Messiah University stood out ... because their admissions department, staff and professors displayed a genuine understanding and appreciation for potential and abilities,” she said.

She says Messiah provided financial assistance, while also supporting her dreams and personal growth.

Her time

She started in the occupational therapy program then switched to business administration.

“It’s okay to change your mind. Sometimes, we think that we can master anything. If you put your mind to doing something, you can do it. But then how long is it gonna take? Do you have the time? I love science, but I haven’t taken a lot of courses in science. So for somebody like me, it would take a long time to learn this and to master it. So I said, my dream is to have my degree. And you know what, get your degree in what is known to you. And that’s what I did,” she said.

In coming back to school later in life, Madrid-Davidson brought lived experience and a unique perspective to her classmates. She also faced some challenges. She had been out of school for decades. Also, she spoke English as a second language, which made writing papers more difficult. She says she considers the whole Messiah journey to be a learning experience.

“Sometimes I hear people my age saying, ‘There’s not much to learn from this current generation.’ However, I have found that individuals of all ages and background can offer valuable insights, regardless of generational differences,” Madrid-Davidson said. “My experience at Messiah has shown me the importance of listening to diverse perspectives to expand my knowledge and understanding.”

A new commitment to family

Her greatest challenge, however, was balancing academics with raising her newborn child. For this reason, she delayed her graduation date from May 2023 to December 2023.

“I tend to be an overachiever, and my goal was to graduate with honors. But my brother says, ‘You know, all that you need is your degree,’” Madrid-Davidson said.

She says she views life as a journey, a journey that we should embrace.

“We all make mistakes. We all have something to regret,” Madrid-Davidson said. “But don’t let that regret punish you because at the end of the day, you’re human. And if you don’t make mistakes, then how are you gonna learn? So we’ve all been there. And all that you can say is just embrace the journey.”

With her bachelor’s degree in hand, she recently accepted a position as a financial management analyst with the Department of the Navy in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, in April. She also is looking at options for graduate school

and says Messiah is at the top of her list.

Throughout her undergraduate journey, she kept a line of poetry by Ella Wheeler Wilcox close: “There is no chance, no destiny, no fate, that can circumvent, or hinder or control the firm resolve of a determined soul.”

“God is on your side. And I see it. I saw it with me. It took me 20 years. It’s okay. But there was no chance, no circumstances, no nothing that could deter me from that,” she said.

— Samantha Neal ’24