With every step forward

How a first-generation, non-traditional mom followed her family’s footsteps to realizing her own dream

Mother’s Day arrived a little early for First Generation Excellence Award recipient Shannon Culler White, who graduated from UNC Charlotte on Friday, May 8, 2026. With her husband and children, each Charlotte graduates, cheering her on from the audience, Shannon’s walk across the stage was more than a gift to herself; it was the fulfillment of a dream she had carried since she was a teen.

Here are Shannon’s words about her experience:

Being a first-generation college student has shaped every part of my journey at Charlotte, but my story actually began long before I enrolled here. I first started college in 1989 at Pfeiffer, full of hope but without the guidance many students take for granted. As a first-gen student, I didn’t know how to navigate financial aid, academic expectations, or the unspoken rules of higher education. Life responsibilities eventually pulled me away, and finishing my degree became a dream I carried quietly for decades. 

What ultimately inspired me to return was watching my husband and both of my children graduate from UNC Charlotte. Sitting in the audience at their ceremonies filled me with pride, but it also sparked something in me. Their accomplishments didn’t make me feel left behind – they made me believe it wasn’t too late to finish what I started. Seeing them walk across the stage gave me the courage to reclaim a dream I had paused but never abandoned.

Returning to college as an adult was both empowering and intimidating. I came back not just as a student, but as a mother, a professional, and now a grandmother. Balancing coursework with family responsibilities required discipline and resilience, which I didn’t fully appreciate when I was 18. This time, though, I brought a sense of purpose and clarity shaped by years of lived experience. I knew why I was here and was determined to succeed.

My experience at Charlotte has been overwhelmingly positive, especially in the way the coursework connected directly to real-world leadership and problem-solving. The concepts never felt abstract – each lesson has pushed me to reflect on my work in education and apply the tools learned. That connection between learning and lived experience made my education feel purposeful and energizing.

The journey hasn’t been without obstacles. There were semesters when work and family responsibilities intensified, including a major promotion and becoming a grandmother as I prepared to help care for my grandson weekly. Balancing school with life changes required flexibility and perseverance. But those challenges have strengthened my identity as a first-gen student. I learned that success isn’t always linear; sometimes it looks like late-night study sessions, small victories, and refusing to give up.

What I’m most proud of is the example I’m setting for my family. My children watched me return to school, and now my grandson will grow up knowing that education is possible at any stage of life. As I near the completion of my program, I can see how much I’ve grown academically, professionally, and personally. My journey at Charlotte has been transformative, and I’m proud to represent what it means to be a First-Gen Niner, breaking barriers with every step forward. 

While walking across the stage to receive her degree in professional studies was a milestone that was years in the making, Shannon’s journey would not be complete without doing one last thing. In the White family, it is tradition for the UNC Charlotte graduate to take a photo on Commencement Day in the same location on campus. 

In 2001, her husband, James “Kenny” White, who earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, posed in his cap and gown with their then-5-year-old daughter, Madison—her arms wrapped around his neck and her cheek pressed against his. In 2018, Madison reenacted the same pose with her dad, draped in her legacy stole and proudly wearing her graduation cap. In 2022, son Brendan joined the photo,  gripping Kenny’s left arm. And this year, decorated in cords, a legacy stole and a smile, Shannon completed the picture—joining her family with the J. Murray Atkins Library in the distance.    

Congratulations, Shannon and the White family. No matter where your journey leads or the steps it takes to get there, you are, and will forever be, a Niner.