DEDICATION

To my parents, thank you for instilling in me a love for learning and making the sacrifices to provide me with opportunities you didn’t have. To my children, Greg, Jenny, Kalli, and Tim, thank you for the consistent love, support, and encouragement while I was on this journey and for believing in me even when I wasn’t sure I believed in myself. To my grandchildren, Grant, Grayson, Annabelle, and Ellis, thank you for just being you. Although you are too young right now to understand, I hope that someday my life-long learning journey will provide inspiration for your own quests for education, experiences, an