McMurry University is no stranger to non-traditional students, and Ashlee Massey’s journey to her bachelor’s degree was anything but normal. Ashlee started at Abilene Christian University after her high school graduation, but life got in the way and forced her into the working world before completing her undergrad studies. Her tenacity and strong-willed personality carried her through several tough years as a working parent, which she spent at the John Middleton Corrections Unit just north of Abilene. Ashlee’s work in the prison system fundamentally changed her calculus on life – for the better, she argues. Realizing she needed to make a change and get back to pursuing her education, she centered her focus on McMurry, and never looked back.