Page 3 - Florida Sentinel 12-17-19

Feature
Mother Of 10 Has Overcome Challenges To Receive Doctorate Degree
BY GWEN HAYES Sentinel Editor
A young mother of 10 re- ceived her Doctorate Degree Friday, December 13, 2019, from Southeastern University in Lakeland.
Rasheda Jamilah Cum- mings received the degree in Education, specializing in Or- ganizational Leadership.
Mrs. Cummings dedi- cates her accomplishments to her husband, children and late parents, Albert Dixon and Karen B. Dixon.
“My father passed away in a car accident in June 1978, ad my mother was murdered in April 1988,” she said.
“The year that my mother was murdered, all I can re- member was the “bad,” seeing her story in the Florida Sen- tinel on the cover page, “Woman Found Behind Bar.” I remember reading the articles in the paper. I remember reading other articles in the Tampa Tribune. I remember looking and listening to her story on the news. I remember looking at the “dead picture” of her face on the highway bul-
The Cummings family in an earlier photo: from left to right (top): Karen, (20), Peter, III, (18), Lakita (25), and Judith (15). Seated in front, from left to right: Paul (13), John (10), Rasheda- Junia (4), Dr. Cummings, Leah (7), Peter, II (dad/hubby), Joseph (5), and Joannah (9).
Peter and Rasheda Cum- mings (EdD, MBA) on ‘Disser- tation Defense Day,’ October 25, 2019, after the committee approved her defense.
much edducation as possible. “I wanted to show them that it could be done. I endured some challenges over time, but it has made me a better person.
Once her oldest child, Lakita finished her under- gaduate studies at the Univer- sity of South Florida, she suggested that she continue to getting her doctorate. How- ever, Lakita was not ready for that, but she continued any- way. To encourage her to con-
Dr. Rasheda Cummings and her husband, Peter, II, an insurance executive, on grad- uation day. They have been to- gether since high school and were married in 1996.
tinue, Mrs. Cummings en- rolled in classes to continue thr journey to receive her doc- torate. She plans to take a few days off and in January start the search for employment op- portunities in higher educa- tion as an administrator or teacher. She earned under- graduate degrees from Florida Metropolitan University and Argosity University.
She now has 3 children at- tending college.
letins, asking for help with any feedback from the crime.
“Now, I would like to talk about the “good” from the “bad.” I want to inspire other people in our community to become motivated and edu- cated after facing traumatic experiences in their lives,” she further explained.
After the death of her mother, Mrs. Cummings
was reared by her grand- mother, Willie Ann Dixon, and other family members sacrificed to take care of she and a younger sister. At the age of 18, she adopted her younger sister and raised her to adulthood.
In addition, Mrs. Cum- mings wants her accomplish- ments to be an encouragement to her children to seek as
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2019 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY PAGE 3