2008 Woodie Awards
For some, MTSU offers a second chance
Ginger Eades is reborn with a little help from the university
Mark Bell
Issue date: 2/25/08 Section: Features
Her MySpace reads: "I've got more faults and flaws than one could ever aspire to count on [her] phalanges."
But Ginger Eades, a 38-year-old criminal justice major, has overcome many of her own "faults and flaws" to get where she is today.
Ginger, originally from Alabama, came to Tennessee in 1996 after attending The University of the South in Mobile.
She moved to Winchester with her father, John Eades, a former psychologist and expert on gambling addiction (now a pastor at a United Methodist Church), her mother, Karen, and her sister, Dana.
Her first year in Tennessee was rough.
Ginger, according to her mom and dad, had already attempted suicide twice while living in North Carolina for a short period and ran away when she first came to Tennessee.
"She had been diagnosed with chronic depression, but she started getting better, a little bit better each day," Mr. Eades told The Worldwide Faith News in October 2002. Then one day, according to Mr. Eades, "she said 'daddy, I want to go for a walk.'"
Mr.. Eades paid no attention as Ginger slipped out the door.
And just like that, Ginger was gone, lost within a 385-acre wilderness.
She was lost for more than a day, with her family fearing that she would commit suicide due to missing her dosages of Xanax, anti-depression medication and numerous other medications in their home.
Luckily, with the help of the Tennessee Highway Patrol and more than 100 volunteers, Ginger was found safe and sound.
"The miracle was that her life changed," Karen Eades told The Worldwide Faith News.
After that incident, Ginger felt that she needed to do something with her life to get it back on track, and her sister encouraged her to return to school.
"My sister, Dana, definitely encouraged me to go back to school," Ginger says. "She's probably been the most encouraging, along with my Mom."
After getting advice from a friend at the Murfreesboro Vocational Rehabilitation Center, Ginger decided on MTSU. In 2004, at the age of 34, she attended her first class.
But Ginger Eades, a 38-year-old criminal justice major, has overcome many of her own "faults and flaws" to get where she is today.
Ginger, originally from Alabama, came to Tennessee in 1996 after attending The University of the South in Mobile.
She moved to Winchester with her father, John Eades, a former psychologist and expert on gambling addiction (now a pastor at a United Methodist Church), her mother, Karen, and her sister, Dana.
Her first year in Tennessee was rough.
Ginger, according to her mom and dad, had already attempted suicide twice while living in North Carolina for a short period and ran away when she first came to Tennessee.
"She had been diagnosed with chronic depression, but she started getting better, a little bit better each day," Mr. Eades told The Worldwide Faith News in October 2002. Then one day, according to Mr. Eades, "she said 'daddy, I want to go for a walk.'"
Mr.. Eades paid no attention as Ginger slipped out the door.
And just like that, Ginger was gone, lost within a 385-acre wilderness.
She was lost for more than a day, with her family fearing that she would commit suicide due to missing her dosages of Xanax, anti-depression medication and numerous other medications in their home.
Luckily, with the help of the Tennessee Highway Patrol and more than 100 volunteers, Ginger was found safe and sound.
"The miracle was that her life changed," Karen Eades told The Worldwide Faith News.
After that incident, Ginger felt that she needed to do something with her life to get it back on track, and her sister encouraged her to return to school.
"My sister, Dana, definitely encouraged me to go back to school," Ginger says. "She's probably been the most encouraging, along with my Mom."
After getting advice from a friend at the Murfreesboro Vocational Rehabilitation Center, Ginger decided on MTSU. In 2004, at the age of 34, she attended her first class.
Viewing Comments 1 - 8 of 10
Anon
posted 2/25/08 @ 5:48 AM CST
$75 per semester or semester hour? I'm just going to go out on a limb and assume it's per semester hour, and go ahead and state that that is a crock of crap left on low long enough to make it smell, but it's not petunias folks. (Continued…)
Mark Bell (To Anon)
posted 2/25/08 @ 9:11 AM CST
It's $75 a semester pal:
(b) Subject to the same terms and conditions as provided in subsection (a), disabled persons, as defined in subsection (a), and persons who will become sixty-five (65) years of age or older during the academic quarter or semester, whichever is applicable, in which such persons begin classes and, who are domiciled in Tennessee, may be enrolled in courses, for credit at state-supported colleges and universities without payment of tuition charges, maintenance fees, student activity fees or registration fees, except that the board of trustees of the University of Tennessee and the board of regents of the state university and community college system may provide for a service fee which may be charged by the institutions under their respective jurisdictions, the fee to be for the purpose of helping to defray the cost of keeping the records of such students and not to exceed fifty dollars ($50) a quarter or seventy-five dollars ($75) a semester. (Continued…)
Anon
posted 2/25/08 @ 1:32 PM CST
Actually, I tend to think of my view as being rather marxist. Not really conservative at all. The disabled are being given a better deal then I if the first reply is true. (Continued…)
david wright lagrone
posted 2/25/08 @ 5:40 PM CST
To ANON: Nothing in your comments strikes me as the least bit Marxist but that of a conservative, and a self-pitying one at that. Offering a discount to disabled students enables said disabled students to have a career and therefore a ticket out of being on disability. (Continued…)
Pete
posted 2/28/08 @ 3:15 AM CST
Are you seriously equating a discount on tuition to the disabled as a way out? If that holds true then wouldn't the solution to all this nations woes be to provide free post-secondary education to everyone whose parents make less then say $60k a year? Hell a $100k a year. (Continued…)
Mark Bell
posted 2/28/08 @ 9:27 AM CST
Pete:
It is what it is. This is a way for the disabled to get off disability income and establish themselves in the workplace. I don't think anyone would argue that this is not the case. (Continued…)
Hell No
posted 3/01/08 @ 11:26 PM CST
ummmm im scared.
Ginger Eades
posted 5/14/08 @ 3:12 AM CST
Just as a side note: When I register as a disabled student I am automatically disqualified from all student loans. So I must pay for my books, travel expenses from Nashville to Murfreesboro and other student-related costs out of the big $700 check I receive a month from Social Security Disability, with the exception of possible scholarships that may cover some costs, but rarely. (Continued…)
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