For JohnQuell and Diamond Tucker, education is a family affair.<\/p>\n
The couple, who both completed graduate degrees at 51ÁÔÆæ in May, often spent their evenings studying together with their children, now ages 4 and 2.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe made grad school our lifestyle and built it into our schedules,\u201d Diamond said.<\/p>\n
JohnQuell earned his master\u2019s degree in social work, and Diamond earned hers in human resources and labor relations.\u202fBoth worked full time while completing their degrees. JohnQuell is a licensed school social worker with Milwaukee Public Schools. He is also certified as an advanced practice social worker and practices psychotherapy part time.<\/p>\n
Diamond is a human resources generalist at a mental health counseling clinic in West Allis. Diamond will be pursuing a Society for Human Resource Management-certified professional certification in the near future to continue enhancing her knowledge and skill.<\/p>\n
Both decided at about the same time \u2013 right before the pandemic \u2013 that they wanted to earn master\u2019s degrees to advance in their professions. Besides, Diamond said, \u201cI\u2019m a forever student.\u201d<\/p>\n
When they first discussed tackling graduate degrees, Diamond thought to herself: \u201cHow in the world are we going to do this?<\/p>\n
After they immersed themselves in the work, she then thought: \u201cWow, we\u2019re really doing it.\u201d<\/p>\n
JohnQuell said he didn\u2019t want to embark on the academic journey before his wife could start hers. Diamond was pregnant with their first child, but JohnQuell felt they should go to school together. \u201cDiamond shouldn\u2019t have to put her dreams on hold just because we are starting a family,\u201d he said. \u201cI am just as much a father as she is a mother. If I am going to advance my career, Diamond shouldn\u2019t have to choose between career and family. The two of us can do both; we can have it all!\u201d<\/p>\n
As they went through their programs, \u201cwe were motivating each other through the peaks and valleys,\u201d Diamond said. \u201cWe were committed to it. We started strong, and we stayed strong.\u201d<\/p>\n
They persisted, even when their two children \u2013 a son, Jahmari, and daughter, Saniyah \u2013 were born. They are expecting their third child.<\/p>\n
Their children have been a strong motivating factor in their lives, JohnQuell said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are first-generation college graduates,\u201d he said. \u201cWe want to provide a better future for our children and eliminate barriers so they can thrive.\u201d<\/p>\n
The couple had study dates at home. \u201cHaving that internal support in the household was motivating,\u201d JohnQuell said. \u201cWe kept each other accountable.\u201d<\/p>\n
Diamond, who earned her bachelor\u2019s degree in psychology at Marquette University, started her career in human resources at a job suggestion from her brother. \u201cI just fell in love with it.\u201d<\/p>\n
She enjoys the versatility that the HR profession offers as each day offers its challenges. \u201cOne day I could be focusing on recruiting efforts or a special project. The next day I could be handling an employee relations matter. There are so many avenues to explore not only in the profession but also the day-to-day.\u201d<\/p>\n
Her background is in talent acquisition.\u00a0 However, she has expanded her repertoire throughout the years to include compliance, employee engagement, coaching, streamlining HR processes and procedure, and DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) initiatives.<\/p>\n
JohnQuell originally studied interior architecture and business at UW-Stevens Point. He had a full-ride academic scholarship and a paid internship redesigning spaces around campus. Going into his senior year, he changed directions. He started to think: \u201cWhat\u2019s the point of this beautiful building if people inside are hurting? Like buildings, people need a solid foundation to build on also.\u201d JohnQuell ended up earning his undergraduate degree in psychology so he could do just that.<\/p>\n
When JohnQuell returned to Milwaukee, he started working in child welfare. As he progressed in that work, he found himself becoming an advocate for children and a liaison between schools and caregivers. That\u2019s when he started thinking about social work, he said, as a way of working not just with children, but with their families. \u201cI still call myself an architect, but now I am an architect of individuals, families and communities, helping them build a solid foundation so they can thrive.\u201d<\/p>\n
Both Tuckers focus on building up the Black community. \u201cI want to be an individual that serves the community in a meaningful way, but also represents the community,\u201d JohnQuell said. \u201cBeing a Black male from the inner city of Milwaukee, I can bring diversity and a unique perspective to the social work\/mental health profession.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Tuckers\u2019 decision to come to 51ÁÔÆæ was related to both the programs and the location. Both are Milwaukee natives: \u201cWe live in the community and wanted to be at a university that felt connected to the community,\u201d JohnQuell said. With their already busy schedules, he added, \u201cwe didn\u2019t want to have to drive all over.\u201d<\/p>\n
In his program, he said, \u201cI definitely had awesome professors from top to bottom. They\u2019ve been very supportive of me and my family.\u201d<\/p>\n
Diamond, who started out in social work before switching to human resources, found her niche in the cohort of students she worked with. \u201cI met some awesome people I stay in touch with to this day.\u201d<\/p>\n
Both Tuckers were determined to not only complete degrees but do well, and their grades reflected that. They were both straight A students, with an occasional A-minus.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was challenging for sure, but we didn\u2019t want to barely make it to the finish line,\u201d JohnQuell said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m proud we were able to do it and do it well.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
JohnQuell and Diamond Tucker had two children and full-time jobs, but both wanted to pursue master\u2019s degrees. Here\u2019s how they made it work. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":835,"featured_media":138911,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","uwm_wg_additional_authors":[]},"categories":[174],"tags":[],"section":[125,122],"display_categories":[352,116],"related-coverage":[],"uwmnews-feed":[167,347,158,153,155,160,157],"class_list":["post-138908","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","section-alumni","section-campus-community","display_categories-top-story-tertiary","display_categories-top-story-section","uwmnews-feed-alumni-association","uwmnews-feed-community-engagement-professions","uwmnews-feed-letters-science","uwmnews-feed-graduate","uwmnews-feed-social-welfare-criminal-justice","uwmnews-feed-social-science","uwmnews-feed-social-welfare"],"yoast_head":"\n