Brittany Collinson decided to get a college degree through CSU Online after six and half years in the U.S. Air Force — and becoming a wife and a mother.

After graduating from West Shore High School in Melbourne, Fla., Collinson was ready to get out of town and experience life. She comes from a long line of military service members and decided to enlist in the Air Force.

“The military is an interesting experience,” said Collinson. “It is something greater than yourself.”

While she was serving in the Air Force she attended an on-base university. When she completed her enlistment, she got married and had a baby, then decided to go back to school to complete her college degree.

“It was all about getting that next level of education,” said Collinson. “CSU would make me more competitive.”

She decided to take courses at Colorado State University because she has always been a fan of the school and the state – and CSU Online offered the courses she needed to earn a bachelor’s of science in psychology.

“My first duty station was in Wyoming, so I was about 45 minutes from Fort Collins,” she said. “I love Colorado and I fell in love with CSU.”

Collinson is currently living in Columbia, S.C., her husband’s hometown. While being a full-time mom is no easy task in itself, she’s done it while finishing a degree through the flexibility of online classes.

“It is a completely different experience from being 18 years old and going to college when your only responsibilities are going to class, versus being a full-time wife and mother trying to graduate,” said Collinson.

She says she could not be more excited about graduating. She is thinking about going on to graduate school for counseling psychology, but for now she is ready for a little break and to spend time with her son.