Hannah Painter is a middle school special education paraprofessional working with 6th through 8th graders, which means before the first student walks through the door she is already coordinating with general education teachers, creating modified assignments, and making sure her own daughter catches the bus on time. She took the job originally because the schedule matched her kids' schedule. She stayed because she fell in love with the work.

Ellie Kitchin is finishing her last semester of exercise science at Southwest Baptist University in Bolivar, Missouri, studying in silence, keeping her room clean before she can focus, and running on chocolate. Last collegiate track season is ahead of her. Most of her friends are living right there with her.

Aspen is in her second year of grad school studying speech language pathology, doing her final externship with Leigha Morgan at Bolivar Primary School in Bolivar, Missouri, and finishing up her last semester of school ever. She has passed all of her big licensing exams, she is presenting research soon, and she is genuinely, visibly excited about where she is headed.

Leigha Morgan is a speech language pathologist at Bolivar Primary School in Bolivar, Missouri, and she starts every morning with coffee, mood lighting, a candle warmer, and paperwork before her students walk in. She has been in the Bolivar school district long enough to know exactly what makes the work feel worth it, and she is not shy about saying it: getting to make a difference every single day.

Welcome to real college life where I interview amazing college students and get their insights, strategies and advice for navigating life in real time.

Meet Elizabeth Grace

This interview with Lily is so great because she is almost at the end of her college journey and it’s cool to see her perspective and hear her goals with that in mind.