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For Elizabeth Womble, the path to becoming a teacher is clear. Getting there is the challenge.
A student at Lincoln Trail College, Womble is working toward a degree in education with plans to become a high school home economics teacher. It’s a goal shaped not just by her interests, but by her life experience.
“I’ve been a stay-at-home mom for 10 years,” Womble said. “I knew I wanted to be a teacher, and I thought about what I’ve been doing that I wouldn’t mind teaching for a long time.”
The answer came naturally: sewing, cooking and the kinds of life skills she has practiced and shared for years.
“I love teaching people how to sew, knit, crochet and all of that,” she said. “And cooking and life skills.”
For Womble, teaching isn’t just a career choice. It’s a way to build a future that still keeps her close to what matters most: her family.
“It allows me to be interactive with my three kids’ lives as well,” she said.
That balance, however, becomes harder to maintain when she looks beyond her time at Lincoln Trail College.
Womble works full time while raising three children, and the prospect of transferring to a university presents significant obstacles. The nearest options are about an hour away, and some specialized programs are even farther.
“I haven’t made up a game plan yet,” she said. “It’s either going to take me a very long time, or I’m going to have to postpone my life even further to get it done.”
That uncertainty is why the idea of a Community College Baccalaureate resonates so strongly with her.
The proposal would allow select Illinois community colleges to offer bachelor’s degrees, creating new pathways for students who may not be able to relocate or commute long distances.
“If I could complete my bachelor’s degree here, it would mean absolutely everything,” Womble said. “It would be a lot less of a hassle. I’d still be able to do my daily life, be in my children’s lives, sports, and education. It wouldn’t take me away from everything else I need to do.”
Womble said her situation is not unique, especially in rural communities.
“I think a lot of people hold off on further education because of situations like mine,” she said. “Where it’s just not possible for the commute and where we live and taking time off work.”
For her, earning a bachelor’s degree is about more than a career milestone. It’s about setting an example.
Womble would be the first among her siblings to earn a college degree beyond an associate.
“I think that would give a good boost to my kids,” she said. “Even though it can be hard and circumstances do sometimes get in the way, you can always get around it and get it done.”
Her story reflects a broader reality for many community college students, one where ambition is not the barrier, but access can be.
And for Womble, access close to home could make all the difference.
