She thought higher education wasn’t for her, now she’s graduating with a master’s in social work
OGDEN, Utah — After returning to school at 32 years old, entrepreneur and single mother Beth Sheola will be graduating with a near-perfect GPA as she receives her master’s degree in social work from Weber State University this Saturday.
The now-39-year-old grew up in Austin, Texas, where she said her first attempt at college “didn’t go so well.”
“I left school thinking higher education wasn’t for me,” Sheola said. “So I built things instead.”
She started working in programs for youth in residential treatment centers, opened a restaurant, owned a food truck, performed stand-up comedy, worked as an artist, and started her own cleaning company before returning to school in 2020.
Through all of her experiences, Sheola has stayed dedicated to her mission of strengthening mental health systems and expanding community resources that cultivate healing and hope.
After graduating from WSU with her bachelor’s degree in anthropology in 2024, she enrolled in the Master of Social Work program.
Sheola’s passion for social work stems from a lifetime of dealing with abusive situations. As a child, she said she thought of social workers as angels coming to save the day.
“They gave me a glimpse of this world outside of the darkness that I was living in, and I always knew I wanted to be that for someone,” Sheola said. “Whether it’s a child or an adult, I wanted to be able to provide that light to someone.”
Sheola currently works as a foster care coordinator and therapist at Connect2Success, a foster care agency and mental healthcare facility in Ogden. There, she’s been able to apply skills she learned in the classroom to a real-life setting.
After starting at Weber State a little over six years ago, Sheola said the sense of community and support she’s felt on campus has given her a second family.
“I use the child care service and took advantage of grants and scholarships,” Sheola said. “With that amount of support, there’s no one who can’t make it.”
She’s received several scholarships, including the Rising Star Scholarship, the Waterstradt Scholarship, and the Richard Richards Scholarship, which were made possible by the generous support of donors.
Sheola also credits her professors for her success, specifically Justin Lee, social work assistant professor.
“Beth is a committed and curious student who approaches her work with purpose and drive,” Lee said. “Motivated by a desire to truly understand, she’s focused on making a meaningful impact in people’s lives.”
After graduation, she plans to continue her work as a foster care coordinator and a therapist supporting individuals experiencing domestic violence and postpartum depression.
“I’m going to stay where I’m at for a while until I feel like I’ve done everything to improve on this place,” Sheola said. “And then I’ll move on to the next place and see how I can improve that.”
Even after navigating psychosis, postpartum depression, and single motherhood, Sheola refuses to let mental illness “write the ending” of her story. Despite all of the challenges, setbacks, and mental struggles, Sheola said she considers herself living proof that if you’re resilient, you can achieve anything.
“To anyone who feels behind, broken, or battling something invisible — you are not disqualified,” Sheola said. “You are becoming.”
Elva Mora, Marketing & Communications
- Contact:
Rachel Badali, Public Relations Director
801-626-7948, rachelbadali@weber.edu