About Nancy Jean
Nancy Jean & Granddaughters
About Nancy Jean
Nancy Jean is a woman of several lives and careers, including school teacher, homemaker, parent, amateur musician and writer. Her grandfather's gift inspired this website.
Nancy Jean's several lives and careers include teaching in a bilingual school in Honduras and 11 years on the Navajo Reservation. She is ESL (English as a Second Language) certified and served as adjunct professor of literature at Dine College.
Nancy holds an M.A. in School Library Media Administration, a B.S. in Elementary Education and a B.A. in Liberal Arts.
A Message of Hope
The day I received the letter from the student loan people congratulating me on making my last payment on my student loan, I was happy. I never resented making those monthly payments. They enabled my children and me to obtain educations and establish careers in our respective professions.
At age 50, I had found myself alone. My 24-year investment as a homemaker and mother had not translated into my financial security. I had ended up with nothing, no home, no career and no money. My two younger children, who were recent graduates from high school, were on their financial own, and without a home base. My oldest child had graduated from college and was on his own.
We went off to college together. For the next few years, we shared student loans. We slept on the floors of each of our student apartments at Christmas, and we ate a lot of the proverbial noodle dinners.
Eventually, we all earned our respective degrees and advanced degrees and took jobs in the fields of medicine, education and research. I took a teaching job in the public school system on the Navajo Reservation, an underserved area, and I worked there for many years.
I'm glad to say that all of us have paid off our student loans in full. And on the day in the spring, when I was ready to make my last payment on my student loan, I wanted to do the transaction with a real person. It was a triumphant day for me.
As I placed the call to the finance office, the person who answered my call took my information politely and efficiently. And when we finished she said, "Is there anything else, Ma'am?" "Well," I said, "I'd just like to say that this is a momentous day for me." "Ma'am," she said, "You can pat yourself on the back."
It was kind of her to say that to me. But this is about much more than that. This is about having hope, even if you start with nothing. You find a spot on the horizon, steer by it, and you don't stop until you get there. At times your spirits will flag. You will worry, and you will be exhausted. But in the end, you will not only have achieved your goals, but you will experience the joy of your accomplishments and knowing that you are strong.
None of that would have been possible for us without the student loan people. They were our support and came through for us when there was nobody else to help.
It has been a fine journey.
Nancy Jean is a woman of several lives and careers, including school teacher, homemaker, parent, amateur musician and writer. Her grandfather's gift inspired this website.
Nancy Jean's several lives and careers include teaching in a bilingual school in Honduras and 11 years on the Navajo Reservation. She is ESL (English as a Second Language) certified and served as adjunct professor of literature at Dine College.
Nancy holds an M.A. in School Library Media Administration, a B.S. in Elementary Education and a B.A. in Liberal Arts.
A Message of Hope
The day I received the letter from the student loan people congratulating me on making my last payment on my student loan, I was happy. I never resented making those monthly payments. They enabled my children and me to obtain educations and establish careers in our respective professions.
At age 50, I had found myself alone. My 24-year investment as a homemaker and mother had not translated into my financial security. I had ended up with nothing, no home, no career and no money. My two younger children, who were recent graduates from high school, were on their financial own, and without a home base. My oldest child had graduated from college and was on his own.
We went off to college together. For the next few years, we shared student loans. We slept on the floors of each of our student apartments at Christmas, and we ate a lot of the proverbial noodle dinners.
Eventually, we all earned our respective degrees and advanced degrees and took jobs in the fields of medicine, education and research. I took a teaching job in the public school system on the Navajo Reservation, an underserved area, and I worked there for many years.
I'm glad to say that all of us have paid off our student loans in full. And on the day in the spring, when I was ready to make my last payment on my student loan, I wanted to do the transaction with a real person. It was a triumphant day for me.
As I placed the call to the finance office, the person who answered my call took my information politely and efficiently. And when we finished she said, "Is there anything else, Ma'am?" "Well," I said, "I'd just like to say that this is a momentous day for me." "Ma'am," she said, "You can pat yourself on the back."
It was kind of her to say that to me. But this is about much more than that. This is about having hope, even if you start with nothing. You find a spot on the horizon, steer by it, and you don't stop until you get there. At times your spirits will flag. You will worry, and you will be exhausted. But in the end, you will not only have achieved your goals, but you will experience the joy of your accomplishments and knowing that you are strong.
None of that would have been possible for us without the student loan people. They were our support and came through for us when there was nobody else to help.
It has been a fine journey.
Kristine Schwartzman
About Kristine Schwartzman
Collaborator, website designer, writer and friend. Wife and Mom to four feline fur kids who keep me on my toes.
When Nancy Jean asked me to work with her on a blog site based on her grandfather's gift, I was thrilled. Reading the pages of Nancy Kendall's journey, reading her words about working in the Underground Railroad and the fact that current events were bringing the horrors of systematic racism to the fore, the timing seemed perfect.
But, like Nancy Jean, I am aware of the fact that I have led a privileged life. Who am I, as a white woman, to tell the story of Black lives? I will never fully comprehend the lives of Black Americans. I am learning as I go and hope to come to a place of better understanding. But, I know injustice when I see it. And, I can speak out.
Let's work for a brighter future for all, regardless of ethnicity, gender or sexual preference.
From Nancy Jean:
"I met Kristine many years ago. She was (and is) a fellow librarian. We were both working at a university library. Well, at least SHE was doing a professional job. I had a little part-time student job to help as I was working on my Masters. In the little job, I was sort of flying by the seat of my pants.
So we clicked right away, as friends, dedicated readers and other things. We’ve kept in touch, through travels and residences in Arizona, Wisconsin, Utah, Colorado, Pennsylvania and other places as well.
Once, while I was living and teaching in Chinle, AZ, and Kristine was living and working in Wisconsin, we actually talked every morning before going to work, sharing episodes of a series we both loved. During those years, she built me a fabulous web page which got some great responses over the years.
She is perfect to work with on this project, and I’m grateful to her for many other things, and we love all of it."
Collaborator, website designer, writer and friend. Wife and Mom to four feline fur kids who keep me on my toes.
When Nancy Jean asked me to work with her on a blog site based on her grandfather's gift, I was thrilled. Reading the pages of Nancy Kendall's journey, reading her words about working in the Underground Railroad and the fact that current events were bringing the horrors of systematic racism to the fore, the timing seemed perfect.
But, like Nancy Jean, I am aware of the fact that I have led a privileged life. Who am I, as a white woman, to tell the story of Black lives? I will never fully comprehend the lives of Black Americans. I am learning as I go and hope to come to a place of better understanding. But, I know injustice when I see it. And, I can speak out.
Let's work for a brighter future for all, regardless of ethnicity, gender or sexual preference.
From Nancy Jean:
"I met Kristine many years ago. She was (and is) a fellow librarian. We were both working at a university library. Well, at least SHE was doing a professional job. I had a little part-time student job to help as I was working on my Masters. In the little job, I was sort of flying by the seat of my pants.
So we clicked right away, as friends, dedicated readers and other things. We’ve kept in touch, through travels and residences in Arizona, Wisconsin, Utah, Colorado, Pennsylvania and other places as well.
Once, while I was living and teaching in Chinle, AZ, and Kristine was living and working in Wisconsin, we actually talked every morning before going to work, sharing episodes of a series we both loved. During those years, she built me a fabulous web page which got some great responses over the years.
She is perfect to work with on this project, and I’m grateful to her for many other things, and we love all of it."