Hello! My name is Brandy Knighting. I am 42 years old, married, the mom of two grown children and a grandma to a beautiful almost 2 year old. I am in my first semester as a junior at ODU. I just obtained my Associate’s in Education at Central Virginia Community College in December 2018. My college career path started way back in 2007. Before that I was a stay at home mom and worked odd jobs. I really didn’t have a direction. Some of my favorite early classes were psychology and sociology classes. I had to take some time off from school while my husband pursued his Master’s in Special Education, so it’s taken me a while to get here. In the meantime, I stumbled upon my current job as a paraprofessional at a local high school. I work in the Special Education department and am currently in my 13th year. I love this job, and my ultimate goal is to become a Special Education teacher. I am currently enrolled in school full time and working full time.

To that end, my major is in Psychology and my minor is in Special Education. My goal is to graduate in 18 months from ODU with my Bachelor’s and then pursue my Master’s in Special Education while working on a provisional teaching license. It will be a lot of work, but definitely worth it. One of my goals is to prove to my own children and the students I work with, that you are never too old to pursue your dreams and achieve your goals. One of the reasons I took this class is the social aspect of psychology will help me further understand the students I work with. I work with a very diverse group of students and my goal is to understand each and every one of them. I want to provide an environment where all students feel accepted no matter what.

On a personal note, in my free time I like to crochet and read. I love the beach and that yearly vacation is what gets me through my days. I also have two dogs and a cat that are a big part of my day to day life.