• 2025 Razorbug Diploma Tour •

Degree of Determination: Genoa Woman on a Mission to Put Teens in Focus

It takes a strong heart and a deep sense of purpose to choose a career centered on helping teenagers successfully navigate adolescence, a challenging, high-stakes period of human development, especially for at-risk teens. Mandy Armstrong chose that path.

"Teenagers are my passion," Armstrong, 36, said. "I want to advocate for children."

Armstrong has surrounded herself with teenagers both at work and in her personal life in Genoa (Miller County). She and her husband, Chance, are raising a 14-year-old daughter and twin 12-year-old sons. She works as an administrative assistant at Arkansas High School in Texarkana, and she teaches a class for at-risk teens. She is a Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) volunteer and a former foster parent.

Armstrong sought to strengthen her skills by earning a bachelor's degree in human development and family sciences from the University of Arkansas this past May. She accepted a framed diploma during the Razorbug Diploma Tour this summer, which spotlighted successful online students.

Armstrong began her journey as a community college student in her 30s. Now, she is starting graduate school this fall for an online master's degree to fulfill her passion for helping at-risk teens.

"I always kind of had a heart for it," Armstrong says, "but it developed after we took in a 13-year-old as foster parents."

The girl lied to get into their home and, at first, she and her husband were upset, Armstrong says. Then, they realized teenagers face immense challenges when placed in the foster-care system. Armstrong believes working with teens is her true calling.

"I want to advocate for children maybe like my foster daughter who didn't have a family to go home to," Armstrong says. "Teenagers are my passion. It was like finding a niche, almost like an 'aha' moment. All my life, this was it."

She believes she can achieve her goals while continuing to work for the school district.

"My dream would be to take on some case-management role within the school system," Armstrong says. "I would like to be a liaison who helps bridge the gap between school and home."

 

Celebrating Accomplishment

With her husband and boys by her side, Armstrong welcomed the Razorbug Diploma Tour to Texarkana on June 18 to celebrate her achievement. The little red Volkswagen Beetle – complete with curly tail, razor spine, snout with tusks, and hooves – pulled up in front of the high school where the family waited on a hot, muggy morning. U of A faculty and staff have accompanied the Razorbug to honor graduates of online degree programs around the state the past four summers.

The Texarkana School District has the distinction of being the only other school to boast the Razorback as its mascot so the Razorbug looked right at home.

Tim Killian, associate professor in the School of Human Environmental Sciences, presented a framed diploma to Armstrong. Lloyd Jackson, superintendent of the Texarkana district, also attended to celebrate with Armstrong along with other co-workers, family and friends.

Armstrong earned an Associate of Arts degree in general studies with an emphasis on human services from the University of Arkansas at Hope-Texarkana before transferring to the U of A for a Bachelor of Science in Human Development and Family Sciences. This fall, she will begin a Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies with a focus on social work, the next step in her plan to serve teens more directly. Both those bachelor's and master's degrees are among more than 100 degrees, licensure programs and certificates the U of A delivers online.

 

Volunteering with CASA

Armstrong enjoys helping teens as a CASA volunteer. Court Appointed Special Advocates are trained volunteers appointed by juvenile court judges to represent the best interests of abused or neglected children. Armstrong says she typically met with the teens assigned to her in a place they would feel comfortable.

"We don't do formal meetings," she says. "We meet where they are. I go along with what they're doing. Most of the time they want somebody to talk to."

Armstrong also teaches a leadership class twice a week for at-risk students at the high school where she works.

"All of that stems from what I've learned in my studies," she says. "It has helped me related to kids more, and I want do to that on a broader scale."

 

Support at Home, Success in School

When she began her college career at UAHT, Armstrong was privileged to be a stay-at-home mom for a year. When she returned to the outside work world, her husband stepped in to take on some of the family responsibilities. Family support was critical to her success, Armstrong says, along with the convenience of studying wherever she wanted.

"My husband naturally took on chores," she says. "I didn't have to ask him. He saw the need. What we're doing works for us."

She often studied lying on her bed with kids there, too, doing their own homework or playing games.

"They are a huge reason why I did what I did," she says, "to show them it's never too late, you're never too far behind to get what you want. This was the right time. It wasn't the right time at 18 for me."

As for her priorities, Armstrong preferred to miss sleep over time with her family. Not having to be in class at a certain time of day allowed her to schedule study time with other commitments.

"I showed up no matter what," she says. "I prioritized family over school. I would rather get up early or stay late, sacrifice my sleep than miss my children's activities."

 

Arkansas Tradition

She's looking forward to the time she can take her kids to see her name engraved on Senior Walk, a tradition for all graduates, whether they study on campus or online.

"One of the things I'm most excited about is taking my kids back to see my name on the Senior Walk because I want them to know that I worked hard and I did it and that they can work hard and do it, too," she says. "And one of my biggest things is (that) your path is not going to look the same as everyone else's. So, while all my friends were getting their degrees when they were younger, I started a family and was raising children. My path's a little different, but my name is still out there."

It typically takes between one and two years for the U of A to get names from a class engraved. When she returns for her master's degree graduation, she can show the family her name on Senior Walk.