Faculty support helps Katelynn Blasavage overcome the odds to walk the commencement stage May 13.
Katelynn Blasavage and her brother Noah Kirby (Photo by Gary Payne)
Katelynn Blasavage admits that life hasn't always been easy. The 22-year-old has dealt with a lot over the years – brain surgery, caring for a very sick friend, losing her mother to cancer and becoming guardian of her younger brother. The challenges she faced made her think, "Alright, I'm a dropout and I'm just going to work and try to get by." But support from her family, friends and professors at UNT changed that attitude. On May 13, she will graduate with a degree in human development and family studies, then return for summer classes as part of the accelerated master's program.
"I decided that failing wasn't going to be my path," Blasavage says.
After meeting with Rania Salman, undergraduate advisor for UNT's Department of Educational Psychology, Blasavage realized that she wanted to dedicate her life to helping the less fortunate and began pursuing a major in human development and family. But, that decision was not one that came easy or quickly.
"The first year at UNT, in the spring, I was diagnosed with what's called a Chiari malformation which basically means that my brain is too big for my skull," Blasavage says. "I was 18, and I started having vertigo, horrible headaches, I would get weird sensitivity up my arms and I would just drop things."
Her doctor said brain surgery was the only option for getting rid of her symptoms. This first bump in her road to a college education did little to stop her momentum. Recovery that usually takes up to three months took less than one month for Blasavage. Her brain malformation also had more than a physical impact on her – it made her question her major in music, and, instead, look into neuroscience.
"I got a work study grant through UNT and started working at a nonprofit preschool for low-income families," Blasavage says. "I thought, 'this is so cool, just nurturing these little humans into adults – this is a crucial time for them.'"
Blasavage wasn't only caring for the children – she became the primary caregiver for a friend who had epilepsy and was experiencing 50 to 60 seizures a day.
"In doing that, I stopped going to class, and I stopped doing my work because I thought, 'she could die if I leave her,'" Blasavage says. "I was spending upwards of 10 hours a day monitoring this girl. So, at the end of the semester, I had failed, and I had lost my financial aid. I couldn't afford to go to school, so I dropped out."
Then 20 years old, Blasavage said she had some soul searching to do. She married Ryan Blasavage, who she calls "her rock," while still caring for her sick friend.
In February 2014, she experienced yet another blow – her mother died of cancer. Soon after, her stepfather told her he could no longer care for her younger brother and would be sending him to live with her in the summer. The then 15-year-old, who she affectionately refers to as her "brother-son," moved in with Blasavage and her husband and immediately had a positive impact on her life.
"I really like the person he is," Blasavage says. "He's funny and smart and he's a dork, and just really fun to be around. He makes me a better person."
As an instant mother of a teenager, Blasavage realized she had to make some changes and she felt like she owed it to her mother to go back to school. She and her husband saved up money for her to take two classes at UNT over the summer. She made straight A's, got her financial aid back, and began taking a heavy course load, completing 47 credit hours in one year, earning all A's and getting accepted to the accelerated master's program.
Salman says she was immediately inspired by Blasavage's story and wanted to take her under her wing.
"She is exceptional. She is bright, motivating, dedicated, passionate and kind. I don't know many students who could handle what Katelynn has been forced to handle at such a young age," Salman says. "The cards were stacked against her and she prevailed."
Blasavage shares a mutual admiration.
"Dr. Salman is an extraordinary, remarkable human being," Blasavage says. "She loves her students. She's not just the lady in her office who tells you what classes you need to take, she's the lady in the office who gets to know you, and gets to know what your goals are, and then she encourages you. I walked into her office with questions, and I walked out with a dream."
She also credits other faculty with changing her life, saying they have all been there for her through her tears, life changes and celebrations.
Despite everything Blasavage has experienced, she will proudly walk across the UNT graduation stage in May. In the audience, she will be cheered on by her husband and "brother-son" – who is now a thriving 16-year-old – as well as the faculty she says held her up even in her lowest times. While she has weathered the storm and is now basking in the sunshine of success, she does reflect on her past:
"If I could give advice to my younger self, I'd say don't rush it, enjoy the ride, don't be afraid to change your major, don't be afraid to change your whole life path, and chase your dreams."
