From Titleholder to Teacher: Hope Kiehl’s Journey

On this episode of the WGU Alumni Podcast, we share how distinguished graduate Hope Kiehl identified a critical gap in life skills education and turned it into a statewide movement. A first-generation graduate and family and consumer sciences educator, Hope transformed that realization into action—modernizing life skills education through hands-on instruction, digital tools, and classroom experiences that make budgeting, nutrition, time management, and healthy decision-making tangible and relevant.

Her work has grown beyond the classroom. Through her initiative, Leading a Lifetime of Life Skills, Hope has built a statewide program across New Jersey that partners with nonprofits and youth organizations to deliver practical workshops tailored to real needs. She has also leveraged her platform as Miss Central Jersey Coastline to expand that impact, advocating for independence, leadership, and service at scale. Her journey is a reminder that it’s never too late to invest in yourself—and to make a meaningful difference in the lives and communities around you.

Connect with Hope here: https://kiehlhope.wixsite.com/leading-a-lifetime-o

Transcript

Welcome And Hope’s Journey

SPEAKER_00 0:06

Hey everybody, welcome back to the WGU Alumni Podcast. We're thrilled to have you tuning in for another exciting episode. My name is Jeff Burton. I'm the senior manager of alumni engagement here at WGU. And on this season of the podcast, we've been spotlighting and highlighting graduates who prove that it's never too late to invest in themselves, to lean into purpose, and create that meaningful impact both professionally and personally. And today on our podcast, I'm ex I'm super excited to introduce a graduate, Hope Keel, from New Jersey. And before we welcome Hope on, I want to give you a little bit of background. So Hope earned her Master of Science in Curriculum and Instruction from WGU back in 2024. She's currently a family and consumer science teacher at North Hunterton High School in New Jersey. She's also the founder of a statewide life skills initiative called Leading a Lifetime of Life Skills. And I think this is pretty cool too. And I have some questions about this, but Hope also has been very active in the pageant scene with Miss America. And she currently holds the title of Miss Central Jersey Coastline. So Hope, welcome to the WGU Alumni Podcast. It's great to have you on.

SPEAKER_01 1:23

Thank you so much. I'm so excited to be here. Really honored to be here. I can't wait to dive in.

SPEAKER_00 1:28

Awesome, Hope. Welcome. And continuing our introduction, you're based in Bloomsbury, New Jersey, but you grew up in nearby Lancaster, Pennsylvania. And I understand that you're a first generation college graduate, which is something that we love to celebrate here at WGU. That has to be something that you're super proud of to be a first generation college student.

SPEAKER_01 1:49

100%. Without having some sort of roadmap to kind of get me from point A to point B, I'm really proud of all the progress I've made to get to this point.

Spotting The Life Skills Gap

SPEAKER_00 1:59

Awesome. And before we dive into the interview, I just want to point this out and say that I'm impressed because your work blends education, service, leadership, and community in a really powerful way, and I'm excited to unpack that today. I want to go back to where it all started. You talked about noticing early on that a lot of people simply weren't taught basic life skills, things like uh cooking or budgeting or managing day-to-day life. When did you first start noticing that gap?

SPEAKER_01 2:31

I would say when I was in the middle school, um I was really fortunate in my middle school, we did have a family consumer science class. So we were able to learn sewing and cooking in school. But before we took those classes, I remember like being in the hallways with my peers and we'd be making simple things like how to use the microwave. And I remember we made stromboli, but we used like refrigerator dough and things like that. And all of us were in awe because none of our parents had had taught us these life skills of how to cook and how to sew. And in in middle school, I was just like, wow, this is crazy. And I started talking to people that didn't go to my middle school, and they were like, we don't even have a class like that. Um and I started diving into some research in my adult life, and I found out statistically, only one-third of American high schools have any sort of family and consumer science home economics education class, which is pretty alarming that we're sending so many young people into the world without having the basic skills to prepare a meal or to manage their finances.

What FCS Really Teaches

SPEAKER_00 3:32

That's that's awesome. So you saw a need, and then fast forward a little bit. You obviously invested and wanted to become a teacher in this regard, teaching these skills. Um, so you're a family and consumer science educator, and uh which focuses on those real-world skills that you're talking about. For listeners that may not be familiar with this field, can you explain what FCS is and why it matters now more than ever?

SPEAKER_01 4:00

100%. So FCS is family and consumer sciences. Some of the listeners might be more familiar with the term home economics, which actually got changed in the year 1994. So it has not been called home economics for a long time. Um, and really that's to remove some of the stigma that was around, oh, well, that class just teaches like women how to cook and sew, but it is so much more than that. Home economics is encompassing healthy relationship, navigating, financial literacy, how to cook, how to uh prepare nutritious meals for yourself, not just how to how to cook it, but how it um interacts with the body. So we are doing so much more than just your grandma's home at class.

SPEAKER_00 4:42

Uh, what's the best thing about being a teacher in this in this field?

SPEAKER_01 4:46

I love the aha moments. Like when for the first time they make their own bechamel sauce and they make a homemade mac and cheese, and all of a sudden they're like, whoa, that's so cool. I've only ever done like the craft box mac and cheese, and just seeing that like light bulb moment is so cool. And I just had a student the other day come up to me and he was he was like, Miss Keel, it's so crazy your class isn't required because this is the one class I'm learning real life skills. I'm learning how to adult in this class, and this is just an elective class. And I was like, that is so, so, so true and so powerful that these are the skills they're gonna need to blaze their own trail someday.

SPEAKER_00 5:24

Now, you mentioned early on in your life you noticed this in when you were yourself were in middle school. And then obviously you're in this space now and seeing people, seeing youngsters that maybe don't have these skills. Uh, how do these observations shape the passion for the work that you do?

SPEAKER_01 5:40

Oh my gosh, it's it's everything. I feel like sometimes people say teaching is is hard or less, students are difficult, but I don't necessarily agree with that. I feel like it's those aha moments, um, the connections that you build with the students, especially when you're teaching something that you know is meaningful and it's going to give them the tools that they need to be successful. I feel like I don't just teach content, I teach the confidence to be able to navigate the real world and serve as that roadmap for them.

SPEAKER_00 6:11

Yeah, I love that you said that. The content is important, but maybe in some regards, that that confidence is even more important. What is that like when you see a student that maybe on day one they entered your classroom, they leave at the end of the term, the end of the semester, and they have this newfound confidence. How does that make you feel as a teacher?

Confidence Through Hands-On Learning

SPEAKER_01 6:31

It's so, so cool. And I have a perfect example of that. I had a student come in, this was about two years ago, day one. He was like, Ah, I'm not really sure about this cooking thing. I think cooking's kind of for girls. And by the end of the semester, I was writing his letter of recommendation. He was going to go to culinary school. So he just did a complete 180 and just fell in love with cooking. And it was such a cool moment in my teaching career.

SPEAKER_00 6:55

That's so cool. That's awesome. I hope he keeps in touch with you and he shares his.

SPEAKER_01 7:00

100%. Yeah, absolutely.

SPEAKER_00 7:01

Now I understand that you are a resident assistant while attending college in Pennsylvania. What did you see in that role that further reinforced how students were lacking those basic skills?

SPEAKER_01 7:13

Yeah, so I would say this was really when the alarm bells started ringing. So I was a resident assistant. So that means I was in charge of taking care of people, making sure everyone is okay, they get to class on time, um, their rooms are organized, at least mostly organized. And it was so alarming that students did not know how to do their own laundry. I would have tons and tons of freshman boys knock on my door and they're like, Can you can you help us to our laundry? And I was like, Yeah, of course. And then I found out they didn't know how to use the microwave. All of a sudden the smoke alarm is blaring because they forgot to put water in a microwaveable mac and cheese cup. Or I had uh another resident who came up to me and they're like, I have no money. I don't know how I'm gonna get home for winter break. And it was in these moments where I was like, oh, this is a real problem. You're studying to be the next engineer, the next nurse, rocket scientist, right? And you don't have these basic fundamental life skills. So, really in my undergrad, that was when my uh program, which you had mentioned in the intro, leading a lifetime of life skills, was born. Um, I decided to round up the people in the hallway and I was like, hey, I'm gonna show you how to use the microwave. Hey, I'm gonna teach you a class on how to do your laundry. Let's go over basic budgeting skills. And I was like, wow, this work that I'm doing is is so powerful. And I love the work I do in my classroom, but it's really reaching community members and people outside of your classroom as well.

SPEAKER_00 8:38

Yeah, such important work that you're doing. That's fantastic. So you pursued your master's degree while you were actively teaching. What initially motivated you to return to school and invest in yourself at that stage of your career?

College RA Wake-Up Calls

SPEAKER_01 8:52

I like to consider myself a lifelong learner. You know, there's always going to be opportunities for more education, and why not say yes? I feel like the most incorrect thing you could do would be to say no to yourself and no to learning. And WGU is absolutely phenomenal, as you know. It makes it so easy for adult learners to be able to, hey, log on, meet with a course instructor, and the feedback that you get back, meeting those competencies is just absolutely incredible. And I know this won't be my last uh master's program at WGU. I'm already looking into doing a second master's here because I just fell in love with WGU and how uh the communication was just absolutely phenomenal, perfect. I'd say getting the work back with so many corrections on how to improve. I I recommend WGU to everybody I see.

SPEAKER_00 9:43

Well, that's awesome. That's that's really, really cool to hear. Uh, as we referenced your first generation college student, so how did that shape your mindset going into higher education? And and what did earning that degree mean to you personally?

SPEAKER_01 9:58

I'd say it was just so empowering to be like, whoa, I I did this. I had to, you know, pay for it myself, and I had to figure out how to um do all the college things that no one in my family before me had been able to do. But I really feel like checking that box and and being able to say, I'm a first-generation college student. If I can do it, you can do it. It's never too late, um, which I know is the theme here. I think that's something that's really inspiring. And I and I hope it inspires some of the audience members as well.

SPEAKER_00 10:29

Yeah, I think it will for sure. Now, your WGU research uh influenced how you incorporate ed tech and technology and those innovative teaching practices into your classroom. Can you share an example of something you changed or maybe that you reimagined because of that work?

Returning To School With WGU

SPEAKER_01 10:45

Yes, I loved how the work that we were doing in WGU was stuff that I could immediately um use as an application in my classroom. So I did my uh capstone research project on how to incorporate ed tech because as much as um some people might think that family and consumer science classes are just like cooking, sewing, and you're not using ed tech, that's definitely not true. You know, this is a digital world we're moving to and it's not going away. So you need to embrace it. So I've switched a lot of my work into um what's called a digital interactive notebook, which is how students can access the course material. They have different links where they can play different games online, puzzles, and game-based learning, and they can do that all throughout like a Google slide where I embed different hyperlinks. And it's so so amazing that this research I did at WGU, I was actually able to present at a uh statewide health and physical education conference. Um, and I was able to present some of that research that I did at WGU, and that was just this past fall. So really, WGU has been like a springboard, and I've been able to take leaps and bounds based on my research.

SPEAKER_00 11:57

That's really cool. How is that being received by the students?

SPEAKER_01 11:59

Oh my gosh, they love it. They're like, this is so cool. Why don't why don't our other teachers do this, you know, when they're just handed like a paper packet and now they can click on a link and they can play a game to learn the kitchen tools instead of reading a textbook. Because in this new age, you know, as much as maybe some people might um not want to embrace that that is the direction we're going, it for sure is the direction we're going. So as an educator, I need to embrace it and do what's best for my students.

SPEAKER_00 12:24

Well, do what's best for your students, and I love how you're meeting them where they're at, right? Because it's it's one thing to check a box to say, well, they've we've covered the curriculum, but it's a whole nother thing to like bring it to life for them. And I love that you're doing that.

SPEAKER_01 12:37

Thank you. Thank you. It's really, really cool.

SPEAKER_00 12:39

Yeah, that's cool. Now, beyond the classroom, you launched that statewide initiative that we mentioned, the leading a lifetime of life skills. What inspired that program and what problem were you trying to solve?

EdTech And Digital Notebooks

SPEAKER_01 12:50

So, based on all of my life experiences, I was like, wow, this is crazy. People do not have basic skills that they need for everyday success. And when I started doing the research about how not a single state in all 50 states uh is it mandatory to have family and consumer science, and only about a third of schools offer that even as an elective class, I was like, I need to do more than just in my classroom. So I launched a statewide initiative, like you had mentioned, leading a lifetime of life skills, and I partner with nonprofit organizations all across New Jersey. Um, and I sit down one-on-one with each organization, and I find the root cause of, you know, what's going on? What are you seeing in your participants? And I cater each workshop individually to each organization I work with. Um, so some examples, I work with the Girl Scout troops, and one of my favorites is to do a workshop called Netiquette. Um, and for those of you listening who are unfamiliar, Netiquette is internet etiquette. So it teaches safe ways to behave online. It also shows you that what you see online might not be real, especially in the world of AI, um, and how to have some of those tools to navigate that. So life skills are more, again, than just cooking and sewing. Another organization I love to partner with is Best Buddies, which helps people with intellectual and developmental disabilities uh get jobs, gain friendships, conquer life skills. And I've been able to work with them on a variety of different workshops from budgeting to um time management and uh a basic cooking workshop and beyond. I love working with that organization. Family support groups throughout the garden state. I also uh run a blog, and on that blog, I'm able to offer free life skills content to everybody all across all 50 states.

SPEAKER_00 14:38

Hope that's really, really cool. So if people want to go and and access this information, we'll we'll uh link that in our show notes. But what what is the web address or how can they uh connect with that?

SPEAKER_01 14:48

Yeah, so it's my personal website, it's a Wix site, so we can uh we can link that.

SPEAKER_00 14:52

Awesome. That'd be great. What does the future look like partnering with these organizations? Like where are you hoping to take this? Because the internet safety and kind of the that whole information is like that's not going anywhere, and we need it more now than ever. What does the future look like for you?

Launching A Statewide Life Skills Initiative

SPEAKER_01 15:08

I think just expanding my partnerships and expanding my reach um beyond New Jersey. I've been able to um reach some of the East Coast. I've been in Pennsylvania, I've been in New Hampshire, but ideally I'd love to lead in-person workshops as well as virtual workshops and in all 50 states because these are the skills that are foundational for people to be able to be self-sufficient, to be successful, to do whatever their mind uh sets them sets out for them. So uh that that's the goal, that's the big picture. All 50 states.

SPEAKER_00 15:37

Now, Hope, I want to turn to the topic of service and leadership. Uh, two things that I know are super important to you and you're passionate about. So in 2024, you also served as Miss New Jersey Volunteer and then more recently, Miss Central Jersey Coastline. And I understand you've completed hundreds of hours uh of service. You've received such awards as the Bronze Presidential Volunteer Service Award along with the academic award at Miss Volunteer American Nationals. You're super active, you're you've got a volunteer spirit. Tell me a little bit why that's so meaningful to you.

SPEAKER_01 16:16

I love being able to fill somebody else's cup, and that's also filling your own cup. I feel like it's always important as a pageant girl to have a dirty sash, right? It shouldn't be this pristine white color because you're doing the work. You know, having a crown on your head, that's really cool. And uh initially, you know, it might spark some conversations, but it's not really doing the work. You know, you can stand there and look pretty all day and smile and wave at people, but that's not where my true heart uh of service comes from. It comes from going into those community organizations, doing the work. I love leading workshops. I am uh a pageant girl who teaches. I really want to be known as an educator, someone who inspires, someone who empowers the next generation to be able to have confidence in everything they do, have resilience. Um, and I'm able to do that through the volunteer work, and I'm so, so, so grateful for all of the amazing opportunities I've had through um the Miss Volunteer America Organization, the Miss America Organization, and in pageantry in general.

SPEAKER_00 17:22

That's really cool. Really cool. And I I cannot wait to see where you continue to go because there's no doubt with the energy in which you speak, the passion that you have, the commitment to doing good and public service, like hope I'm super excited for you. Good good things are coming for you, I'm I'm sure of that.

SPEAKER_01 17:40

Thank you.

SPEAKER_00 17:42

Yeah, and I I understand you've even sewed some of your own pageant gowns. Is that correct?

SPEAKER_01 17:47

That is correct.

SPEAKER_00 17:49

Pretty cool. Yeah, that seems like a perfect reflection of the skills that you teach, right? Creativity, yes, independence, being self-sufficient. How do those hands-on skills like that build confidence, especially for young people?

Service, Pageantry, And Purpose

SPEAKER_01 18:03

Oh my goodness. They, my students, they love taking my classes because it is so rewarding because they are getting that hands-on final product, right? In my culinary class, they're making a nutritious meal that they actually get to taste and eat, and then they get to go home and make it with their families. I can't tell you how many times a parent emails me and it's just like, whoa, my son or daughter just made dinner for our family tonight, and like that is so cool. Or in my sewing classes, when they get to take home their very first pair of pajama pants and they get to wear them to bed, and they're like, This is so amazing! Like, I actually made this. Um, and interior design, we actually make 3D models of different home designs, and currently they're making a little 3D model of a room inside of a shoebox. And those hands-on skills are so, so important to students. They teach resilience, they teach teamwork, especially in my classes where they're working together to establish a common goal. They teach communication. There are so many skills built into the hands-on classes that I teach.

SPEAKER_00 19:02

So, Hope, was there ever a moment uh where everything just clicked for you and you just felt like this is exactly where I'm supposed to be?

Building Confidence With Making

SPEAKER_01 19:11

Yeah, there's been many moments, I feel like, throughout my career, but anytime a student is like, and I I hadn't previously talked about this, but that aha moment, like, oh my gosh, like this is so cool. And this is something that, you know, I'm not just doing in your class right now and I'm gonna forget about it. This is something that I'm going to be able to use throughout my whole life. And it's gonna give me that confidence to take me to that next level because I have the basic foundational school skills that I need in order to be successful in whatever I want to do. Um, so I really think it's all of those little moments where a student's like, oh, I got this, or somebody that I work with in a workshop, and they're like, Whoa, nobody has ever explained it to me like that. And now I get it, and now I can take this and and do that. Um so I I can think of I can think of a really good example. I was working with the best buddies, and we were doing a workshop on uh like comparison shopping, and they were spending so, so much money every week DoorDashing all of their meals. And I just like pulled up a couple different grocery store options and just started putting some things in the cart of like the basic ingredients they would use in these DoorDashed meals, and they were astonished. It was hundreds and hundreds of dollars that they were saving, and this could be used each week, which is thousands of dollars throughout the year. Um, so it's just it's those little precious moments that I'm like, yes, this is my life's work, and I'm so, so thankful for all the opportunities that I've been able to have.

SPEAKER_00 20:40

That's so cool. So, looking ahead, what's a professional goal that you're excited about over the next couple of years?

SPEAKER_01 20:47

I definitely want to go back to WGU. I've already been looking at other master's programs. Like I said, I'm a lifelong learner. I can't stop and I never want to stop. And I am so thankful that WGU makes it convenient for adult learners. I can learn at any time throughout the day. You know, as a teacher, I'm teaching full-time. I also coach a dance team and I core graph a musical as well every year. So I'm busy. I love the flexibility that WGU has and how amazing the course instructors are. When you have a question, they're always right there to help you out.

SPEAKER_00 21:18

Yeah, for sure. Uh, how about a personal goal?

SPEAKER_01 21:21

Ooh, so many, but I would love to be on like a reality cooking show. Um, I would love to somehow be on one of those like next great baker shows or uh a chef sort of situation. I think that would be super cool.

SPEAKER_00 21:37

That is cool. Well, if there's anything we can do, we we've got a lot of alumni, students and alumni. If if there's a you know a write in or a you know a voting uh component, let us know how we can support. We'd love to see that. That would be super cool.

SPEAKER_01 21:51

That would be awesome. Thank you so much.

Goals: More Degrees And Big Dreams

SPEAKER_00 21:53

So, Hope, as you're talking and you're sharing all that you're involved, I'm super impressed with you that you're able to Able to juggle it all because you know we all have 24 hours in a day. And the things that you're doing from the pageant uh scene to the classroom to your personal life to potentially going back and getting another degree. I I'm curious if you have a life hack or you have uh something that has led to your success that you might be able to share with me and our audience because I'm like I say, I'm super impressed to just hear all that you're doing. So how do you do it all? How do you how do you juggle all that you are?

SPEAKER_01 22:29

I do have a little life hack. So I actually teach a workshop. It's called Tactile Time Management. Um, and this is a workshop that I created a long, long time ago. It's really one of the first programs out of leading a lifetime of life skills, and I introduced it to college students first, but it's a hands-on approach to time management. We we go old school for this. We actually get you a piece of paper, and we have every single day of the week everything is blocked out. You get out your colored pencils, your highlighters, and you make an old-fashioned schedule. And it's really, really good because you're not just scheduling in like a bunch of things to do, right? You're making sure you're getting that eight hours of sleep. You're making sure you get three healthy meals a day so that you can function at your absolute best. We're making sure we have time in there for self-care and not just like doom scrolling on TikTok, right? An actual time to sit down and recharge. And it's really, really effective because it's right in front of you. You're actually making it, it's hands-on. And then at the end of the workshop, I encourage everybody to take a picture of it, set it as your phone lock screen, and then also put it somewhere where you're gonna see it multiple times throughout the day. So on a refrigerator or maybe on the back of your bedroom door. And in this workshop, it is been the results I've heard from people who have taken this is like night and day, um, because it's really right there in front of you. It's in black and white, and it schedules time for all the things you want to do and also all the things you have to do. So I'd say my time management workshop is my life hack for being a a busy woman.

Tactile Time Management Hack

SPEAKER_00 24:01

Yeah, that's so cool. I'm glad that that's led to some success. And um, yeah, super cool. Um, I I'm curious, I want to ask you a little bit of for some advice. Uh if there's somebody who's listening or watching this today, uh, especially maybe someone who's in the first generation space, uh, what if they're if they're wondering, is it too late for them? Did they miss their moment? Is are they themselves uh worthy of investing in themselves? What would you say to that individual?

SPEAKER_01 24:33

100%, it is never too late to start anything. Um, a lot of people, I think, when they associate women who do pageants, they think of that show Toddler's and tieres, like I started when I was three years old. I did not start pageantry until after my undergrad. So I was in my 20s for the first time. Um and I was able to really start some pretty incredible work through pageantry. Um, so it is never too late. I was able to earn my master's degree also in my 20s, and I'm gonna go back for another one probably in my 30s. So it there is never, there's never an end. Um, and I think that's really just a mindset shift that people need to make. And there are so many examples of so many successful people who started their careers much later in their life. It's not um ever an age thing, it's not a time thing. If something is like nugging uh or tugging on your your heartstrings to to do it, I'd say jump in and do it. There's nothing wrong with saying yes. Say yes.

SPEAKER_00 25:33

Say yes. Good advice. I love that. That's so good. All right, hope this has been a great interview. I've loved uh just hearing your life hacks, the successes that you've had, and all of the things. I think you've you've certainly inspired me. You I know that you've inspired our audience as well. Uh, I want to get to know you a little bit better, and I want to do it in what we call uh From the Nest, which is a rapid fire round. So if you're game, I've just got some really quick rapid fire questions. Just fire off the answer that comes to you first. Sound okay?

Never Too Late Mindset

SPEAKER_01 26:03

Yeah, let's do it.

SPEAKER_00 26:04

Okay. So Hope, are you an early bird or a night owl?

SPEAKER_01 26:07

Early bird, 100%. That's the teacher lifestyle.

SPEAKER_00 26:11

What is your favorite thing to cook or to bake?

SPEAKER_01 26:13

Oh, it's gonna be my iced lemon loaf.

SPEAKER_00 26:16

Uh, what is one word to describe the moment you completed your WGU degree?

SPEAKER_01 26:20

Empowered.

SPEAKER_00 26:21

What's one life skill everyone should learn before adulthood?

SPEAKER_01 26:26

Financial literacy. That is the backbone of every other life skill.

SPEAKER_00 26:30

What is your go-to comfort food after a long day?

SPEAKER_01 26:33

Oh, I love a good fettuccine alfredo with my homemade alfredo sauce.

SPEAKER_00 26:38

If you could take a sabbatical anywhere, where would you go?

SPEAKER_01 26:42

I've always wanted to go to Puerto Rico.

SPEAKER_00 26:44

What is a quote or a mantra or a belief that keeps you moving forward?

SPEAKER_01 26:48

I love less bitter, more glitter.

SPEAKER_00 26:52

And finally, what makes you proud to be a WGU alum?

SPEAKER_01 26:56

Oh my gosh, it's just the network, the community, the opportunities that WGU has, being able to be on this podcast and share my story and being able to reach out and always being able to get a response. The community of WGU is just absolutely phenomenal.

Rapid Fire: Food, Quotes, Pride

SPEAKER_00 27:12

I I love that. All right, you're officially off the hot seat. Uh, that was super fun. Uh, but I do want to add uh an additional question just as far as where you're from. So you are from Pennsylvania, live more recently in New Jersey. What's the best thing about your local community there in New Jersey?

SPEAKER_01 27:29

One thing about New Jersey, and like you said, I'm not from New Jersey, is they just like welcome you in from open arms. Like people are so proud to be from New Jersey. There is just this great sense of like if you're somewhere else and you run into someone and they're like, oh, I'm from New Jersey, and it's like the coolest thing ever. I've never felt like I'm like, whoa, like there is so much pride in this state, and being able to represent New Jersey uh in the in the pageant circuit has been absolutely amazing. Everyone's always like, when you go to like a national competition or something, they always want to know all about New Jersey, everything that they see on TV. Um, but the community is just top-notch.

Final Message And Alumni Resources

SPEAKER_00 28:06

Hope it has been so great to have you on the alumni podcast today. And uh thank you for your time. Thank you for representing us so well. Uh, I know you're a huge advocate and you're just you're doing an incredible work, and we're so proud of you. As we conclude the interview, I would love to give you the final word if you have any message or messages that you'd like to share with our audience.

SPEAKER_01 28:29

Yeah, I would love to say that your experiences matter. So use those experiences to find your purpose, to drive change, and to do something that's really meaningful for you and for your community. Um, it's never too late, which is the whole entire purpose of this uh season of the podcast. And I really want to thank you, Jeff, for all your time today. I want to thank the WGU community, and I'm so, so appreciative of being here and being able to represent WGU.

SPEAKER_00 28:59

Awesome. Thank you, Hope. And we'll for sure drop your information in the show notes so people uh can follow you and can learn and access all the materials that you spoke of. So thanks again, Hope, for the time. We appreciate it.

SPEAKER_01 29:10

Thank you so much.

SPEAKER_00 29:12

Thank you for joining the WGU Alumni podcast today. We hope that it was inspiring and insightful. I know that Hope's message is uh incredible, and we're super proud of her and all the good work that she is doing. If you would like to learn more about the WGU Alumni experience, including events, benefits, and resources, and how you can stay engaged, visit wgu.edu slash alumni to learn more. Thank you again, everybody, and stay safe.