Casie Krishnan: How the Honors Program Changed Everything

March 7, 2025

Twenty years ago, I walked away from Motlow with a bad experience and no degree. At the time, I was a single mom in an abusive situation, struggling to survive with no support. I made the difficult decision to withdraw from my classes, thinking I was doing what was best. But due to a paperwork error, instead of withdrawing properly, I was given all Fs. A mistake I didn’t even know about until two decades later.

Pictured: Casie Krishnan

Fast forward twenty years, and my life looks completely different. I have a stable marriage to a disabled USAF veteran, I’ve raised children, run a successful small business for ten years, and finally reached a point where I could pursue my dream of going back to school. I set my sights on Liberty University, assuming my past at Motlow wouldn’t be an issue. But when I applied, I was blindsided. Those Fs from twenty years ago meant I couldn’t get in.

I contacted Motlow, hoping to correct the error, but after so many years, there was no way to prove what had happened. My only option? Stay at Motlow and retake the classes to repair my GPA. I felt trapped. My plan was simple: take the courses, fix my transcript, and leave as soon as possible. I had no desire to be at Motlow, no interest in getting involved. I just wanted to check a box and move on.

But something changed.

I wasn’t going to fail this time! I’d put too much into this. I had closed my business so I could go to school full-time. I had the support of my family. This was my dream. I may have been stuck at Motlow, but I was determined to prove that my past didn’t define me. So, I worked harder than ever—not just to fix my transcript, but to prove to myself that I could do this. That I belonged in college.

At the end of my first semester, I had straight As. And then, I got an email that changed everything.

An invitation to the Honors Program.

Honors? Me?! That wasn’t even something I had considered. It wasn’t part of my plan. Honors students were the “Hermiones” of the world—the ones who had been on this path all along, who were at the top of their class in high school. I didn’t even finish high school! I had to get my GED with a toddler in tow. But that invitation shifted something in me.

It validated all the struggles. The doubt. The sacrifices. The fear. It was proof that everything I had fought through had been worth it.

And now? I have never been more motivated in my life! 

The Honors Program has transformed not only my education but my entire mindset. I was going to take online classes, keep my head down, and leave as soon as I could. Now? I’m taking in-person Honors courses, going to every event I can, engaging with professors and students, and experiencing hands-on learning in ways I never thought possible. I’m not just going to school, I’m living it.

But the impact goes far beyond my time at Motlow.

I’ve committed to earning my Honors Diploma. To proving that I have what it takes to do this at 40 years old. I’ll even be studying abroad in South Korea this summer! Something I would have missed out on entirely if I hadn’t chosen to stay with Motlow. And instead of transferring out as soon as possible, I’ve changed my plans entirely. Because of Motlow’s partnership with MTSU, I’m going to pursue my bachelor’s degree there, just so I can continue in their Honors Program and keep experiencing this level of enriched education.

This program didn’t just change my time at Motlow.

It changed my future.

It changed my children’s futures.

They’ve seen firsthand the value of higher education, of perseverance, of taking unexpected opportunities and making the most of them. They know now that even if life doesn’t go as planned (even if it takes 20 years) it’s never too late to chase your dreams.

The Honors Program turned what felt like a dead end into the start of something incredible.

And I can’t wait to see where this journey takes me next!