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by Alicia Myrick on Sep 17, 2025
Adult learners often have unique and winding paths when deciding whether to pursue a degree or seek additional certifications. Adult learners are often motivated by opportunities to pursue additional education to enhance their earning potential, secure a promotion at work, or become more competitive in their industry. Recently, CAEL had the opportunity to catch up with Shamori Simpson, an adult learner at Shaw University, to learn more about her journey to completing her degree. She claims that continuing her education was “the best decision [she] never made,” and you’ll be surprised to find out why.
Shaw University is one of the Lumina Foundation HBCU Adult Learner Initiative grantees. As part of CAEL’s work with Shaw, CAEL had a chance to catch up with an adult learner to learn more about her path to completing a degree and how Shaw University has provided support to help her along her journey.
Shamori is a 36-year-old adult learner from Burgaw, North Carolina.
What is your program of study and where are you in your journey?
I’m majoring in social work, and I’ll be graduating in May 2028. I am currently a sophomore.
Why did you choose this program of study?
I consider myself to be a “Jill of all trades,” meaning I have varied passions and can find joy operating in many settings. Social work stands out to me because I am passionate about both adults and children. This stems from my personal background as well, due to my time in foster care for several years. Speaking of foster care, I am also interested in supporting families in getting the help they need in order to keep their children in the home.
Why did you decide to enroll at Shaw as an adult learner?
This is where my story gets interesting. As a kid, I participated in Gear Up, which is a college access program that exposes young people to college. Funny enough, Shaw was the first college campus I ever visited. When I stepped foot on campus, I was amazed. I saw successful Black men and smart Black women, and this was inspiring. I was happy and inspired to see people who looked like me all over campus.
Fast forward, after several starts and stops at my local community college and several online colleges, I found myself on the campus of Shaw University. I always tell people that going to Shaw was the best decision I never made. Here’s why I say that – my niece was the one who actually completed my application and submitted my aid application for me. She encouraged me to do it on my own, but I never took the step, mainly out of fear. She knew Shaw University would provide me with the support I needed as an adult learner and she made it happen for me. She told me who to talk to on campus and made sure I was fully prepared for my next step, and now I’m here!
What resources at your institution have been most impactful on your success as an adult learner?
Simply put, my experience at orientation was magical. Shaw has a program called the Adult Degree Program (ADP), and all incoming students in the program receive special swag, attend special sessions, and are linked together to form an instant community.
There was also a lot of buzz about me because I am the only adult learner who decided to stay on campus. I wanted to have the experience of on-campus college living. This has also served as a protective factor for my success because the campus community is now an extension of my support group, in addition to my faculty members and the ADP staff.
Another impactful aspect is the financial aid office at Shaw. The staff has been so helpful in informing me how school is financed and they have also helped me find different scholarships to apply for.
What is the most challenging thing for you about being an adult learner?
Due to my rocky past pertaining to my education, I deal with a lot of self-doubt, especially when things feel hard. I also sometimes lack motivation and find myself procrastinating. But as I mentioned earlier, living on campus has given me a large community to encourage me to keep going. My family is also very encouraging and often reminds me that I can do it.
What advice would you give other adult learners who are deciding whether to further their education while also balancing many other responsibilities?
Do it! Never stop! Don’t be afraid to try.