Mother of two Kendra Halliday earned her degree knowing there’s always a way to succeed.
Seated at a high-top table in the lounge of Annenberg Hall, senior journalism major Kendra Halliday, 22, recounted her time at Temple as a college-age mom to two daughters: 2-year-old Kayliana and 1-year-old Kapri.
Her mother, a Temple alumna, also became pregnant while she was attending school. Halliday said she knew a Temple graduation would be in her future from an early age.
“When I first started college, it was all about me and bettering my future,” said Halliday, who is graduating this semester. “For me, once I became pregnant, it was a no-brainer that I was going to finish school so that I could be a good provider for my kids.”
Halliday said the main struggle she faced juggling college work with motherhood was learning how to balance time equally among her priorities.
“I put being a mom first,” Halliday said. “When it comes time for my kids to go to college, I will push them to go. I will tell them that if I can do it with two kids, they can do it with none.”
Halliday pursued a degree in broadcast journalism. During her years at West Catholic High School in Southwest Philadelphia, Halliday anchored the school’s morning news show. While at Temple, she completed an internship with WRTI-FM 90.1, where she conducted and transcribed interviews among other duties.
Halliday is working on launching her own website called, IM SWAG, which stands for Saved With Abundant Grace, by next fall.
“I want to create a website where young people can freely express their religion and stay up-to-date with current trends in a respectable way,” Halliday said.
Halliday said she was inspired to start a website after completing an entrepreneurial journalism course.
“I never really saw myself working behind a desk,” she said. “After graduation, I am going to focus on my website full-time.”
Simultaneously going to school and being a mother isn’t an easy thing to do, but with her kids in day care, a strong support team by her side and her relentless motivation, Halliday succeeded in accomplishing her goals.
“At times, when many people would have given up, she kept going. When it got to a point where it was hard to see the light, it didn’t matter because she always knew she would succeed,” said Taron Franklin, Halliday’s fiance and friend since 10th grade. “Big things are ahead for her, and she has all the tools within herself to make an impact on this world.”
Halliday and Franklin plan to get married after Halliday’s graduation.
“My advice to other moms in school is to be strong, always stay focused and remember that you have other people depending on you now,” Halliday said.
Sarah Scarpa can be reached at sarah.scarpa@temple.edu.
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