Yolanda West Interview

On June 2, 2017 around six o’clock, I interviewed Dr. Yolanda West about her life. Dr. West is a determined individual. She is the first female to receive a dotctoral degree in her family.
During the interview, I noticed the excitement on Dr. West’s face. It was like a ray of sunshine that caused me to be excited about the interview as well. I asked Dr. West about her career history, some of the things she wanted to overcome in life, and what were some of the goals that she have achieved. Dr. West stated that growing up in the Mississippi Delta, it was common to see many young mothers give up on their dreams because of difficult times . Due to low economic status, her hardworking parents were forced to live from paycheck to paycheck. So, Dr.West decided that she would become more than a factory worker or waitress. She said that being a product of such a poverty- stricken environment, which is often masked by

She said that career advancement was a very important issue to her. Her circumstances have encouraged her to further herself regardless of her surroundings. She said through high scholastic achievements and maintaining a four point zero grade point average in high school. Dr. West was awarded a full academic scholarship to Mississippi Valley State University. Unfortunately, during her senior year in high school she became a teenage mother and she had to turn down the scholarship that she had worked so hard for. She understood that she had responsibilities. To support her child and herself, she had to continue working at McDonalds Restaurant. At times, she was not sure how she would achieve her goals and be a responsible mother. Through determination and dedication, the following spring semester she enrolled at Mississippi Valley State University. In 1999, she graduated Salutatorian of the Computer Science Department and received a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer