She Has What It Takes

“Going to college is not necessarily about being smart. It's about asking, ‘Do you have what it takes to stick with things?’”

Kristi Lock answers her own question with a resounding “yes.”

Her stick-to-it approach led her to enroll at the University of Arkansas where she is determined to earn her first college degree. Lock, 52, initially enrolled at the U of A expecting to complete a BSBA in General Business from the Sam M. Walton College of Business, but exposure to her core courses led Lock to change both college and major. She now seeks to earn a Bachelor of Arts in English from the Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences.

“I've always been in the business industry, so I naturally gravitated toward that degree in the beginning,” Lock said. “As I was taking classes, I kept saying things like, ‘Oh, I can't wait to take creative writing. I can't wait to take the literature classes. I love the English courses.’”

She finally decided to follow her heart and change her major.

A first-generation college student, Lock was raised by a single mother who struggled financially to raise her and her two sisters alone. Despite Lock’s good grades and a thirst to learn, she didn’t think it was financially possible for her to go to college—not understanding the financial options available.

“I was born and raised in Cushman, Arkansas,” said Lock, who now lives in Florida. “That's why I applied to the University of Arkansas. If I'm going to go through this process, I am going to graduate a Razorback. I was ecstatic when I got in and have had the best experience. This has been a lifelong dream of mine. When I graduated high school, I didn't understand the options out there. I was a good student, but I just didn't know how to take that step. Back in the day, you couldn't do online. It had to be face-to-face. I didn't have the opportunities to attend college that I have now. With the online option, I can work full-time and weave it in where I can; whereas if I had to be in class at an assigned place and time, there's just no way I would be able to do that. I don’t think I would be successful in working toward a degree right now if I had to do it in person.”

Lock works as the executive coordinator at NWF Health Network, a nonprofit community-based care organization in Panama City, Florida. NWF Health Network serves as the network management agency for child protection and behavioral health services in northwest Florida. Lock’s primary duties are to assist the chief operating officer, supervise the receptionists, and coordinate travel. She also assists the management team with special projects throughout the year. Lock’s hard work and dedication earned her an Administrative Employee of the Year Award from NWF Health Network in 2023.

“I love working in this environment, with people who are helping families heal and thrive,” Lock said. “I’m fairly new to the organization, having come on board a little over two years ago. I had been at my previous job for almost 20 years so when I changed jobs, I realized, ‘Hey, an old dog can learn new tricks! Maybe this is my time.’”

With her days constrained by a challenging, high-stress job, Lock knew she could never attend and graduate from an in-person program. Her greatest challenge has been to stop exerting too much pressure on herself to succeed.

“I put a lot of pressure on myself,” she admitted. “I don't accept just getting by with my grades so I make it really, really hard on myself. I think that's a good thing, but there's only so much I can do, so I limit myself to a couple of classes at a time, including the summers. Before I started here at the U of A, I felt like college was completely out of my reach. I had no idea how within my reach it was—you just have to do the work. It started out like a bucket list goal, something I really wished for throughout my whole life. Now, I only wish I would have done it years ago.”

Lock initially hesitated to switch her major from business to arts and sciences, expecting the transfer process would be both arduous and time-consuming. Instead, she experienced the exact opposite.

“I thought it was going to be a big ordeal to switch over, but it felt like a push of a button,” she reported. “Behind the scenes, I'm sure there were a lot of things happening, but I had absolutely no trouble just switching over and becoming a Fulbright student. I would like to get my master's and do some kind of teaching, some kind of instructing, so that is a future goal. I'd love to be an online English instructor in my semi-retirement. I would love that.”

Lock is one of 33 recipients of the W.E. Manning Memorial Scholarship for online U of A students for the 2024-2025 academic year. The scholarship began with small gifts from many people who passionately believe in the transformative power of education. It was created in 2018 to financially assist students who are enrolled in undergraduate and graduate online degree programs.

“I have a Pell Grant, but you never know from year to year if you're going to get it,” Lock said. “I have this huge fear that my funding's going to run out and I won't be able to afford to complete my degree. I contacted someone at the U of A who pointed me to the Financial Aid website. Applying is so easy. You just go to the scholarships page and filter through which ones you qualify for. I started applying and was pretty excited. I'm really thankful to receive the Manning Scholarship. It gave me a sense of comfort knowing that that money's there, and I can take extra classes, which I plan to do next semester.”

Throughout her time at the U of A, Lock’s desire for a degree and her “stick-to-it” philosophy have remained unwavering. She credits her college time with opening up an entire realm of possibilities.

“College opens up your whole world,” Lock stated. “You grow as a person. Your mind grows. Your abilities grow. Your sense of accomplishment grows, your confidence grows. That's a big life lesson, and I have already benefited from all that.”

Lock’s advice to anyone who may be considering studying online is to prioritize the work. If you do that, you will be successful.>

“Take that step,” she advised. “Make a commitment that you're willing to do it, that you're going to do it. If you don't put in the effort, you're not going to make it. You have to make up your mind that you're going to prioritize it and do it. You will not regret it. I doubt if very many people have looked back and thought, ‘I really regret getting that degree.’”