FORT GEORGE G. MEADE, Md. (June 9, 2011) -- When Staff Sgt. Dysha Huggins-Hodge stood at the podium May 26 at Anne Arundel Community College to deliver the valedictorian address, she was both excited and scared.
Huggins-Hodge, formerly of Fort Meade's 55th Signal Company (Combat Camera), wanted to impress upon her fellow graduates the importance of "doing greater things."
The Soldier has followed her own advice. Huggins-Hodge graduated with an Associate of Arts degree in transfer, or general, studies with a 4.0 GPA after completing most of the 63 credits for her degree online while deployed to Afghanistan.
Huggins-Hodge, 25, enrolled in AACC two years ago at the Fort Meade Army Education Center. She decided to pursue a degree after giving birth to her son Micah, who was born with Eagle-Barrett syndrome, a condition that can affect the kidneys and the bladder due to a lack of abdominal muscles.
"He had so many surgeries but he always came through," said Huggins-Hodge, who resides in Towson. "He was always very happy and had a pleasant demeanor. He was bringing everyone in my family together. I thought, at 23, I hadn't made as much of an impact as he had made in other people's lives."
Huggins-Hodge said she wanted to be someone her son could look up to, and education was the way to do it.
"Staff Sergeant Huggins-Hodge's serves as an example to us all, that no matter what difficulties life throws at you, with motivation, determination and hard work you can persevere," said Installation Commander Col. Daniel L. Thomas, who attended Huggins-Hodge's graduation.
"She inspires me to do better; she should inspire us all. She is a role model for all service members with aspirations of attaining a higher education degree. This is also a credit to the administrators and teachers at Anne Arundel Community College who, as a community partner, are committed to supporting Fort Meade Soldiers and their families," Thomas said.
Huggins-Hodge deployed to Afghanistan a year after starting her program, serving as a chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear noncommissioned officer with the 25th Signal Battalion. To complete her degree, Huggins-Hodge worked 12-hour days and sometimes studied more than 50 hours per week.
"There were some times when I slept less than I was awake," she said.
During her last few months of school, Huggins-Hodge took two online courses that required 15 weeks of work in two weeks.
"Energy drinks became my best friend when I was deployed," she recalled.
In addition to her online school work, Huggins-Hodge found time to help tutor junior Soldiers, volunteer for the USO in Bagram and lead her unit's efforts for the Combined Federal Campaign.
"My goal was to make an impact on someone else," she said. "Every way I could find to do it, I put myself into it."
Huggins-Hodge, who returned from Afghanistan in April, is now assigned to Abderdeen Proving Ground.
She plans to complete her bachelor's degree in social work through the Army's Green To Gold program, which allows Soldiers to return to college, receive their baccalaureate degree and earn a commission as an Army officer.
For now, Huggins-Hodge, and her husband, Sgt. Clayton Hodge, a medic at Kimbrough Ambulatory Center, are awaiting the birth of their second child in November.
"We're taking time off to focus on our family and just relax," she said.
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