I would break down the influencers into past and current. My mother and grandmother were significant influences in my past. My mother used education as a way to escape from a difficult childhood and to ensure that she would be independent and able to provide for herself throughout adulthood. She instilled that value in me growing up and made sure I understood that education was the way to shape my world however I wanted to shape it. My grandmother did not go to college as a young woman; rather, she started college after retirement and persevered through her coursework, eventually meeting what would be an insurmountable obstacle: college algebra. She struggled and struggled through her 60s and 70s to pass that course. I even tried to tutor her. She never was able to pass, but she kept trying repeatedly until the point at which it was no longer feasible for her to attend classes. She taught me a lot about perseverance. (Fun fact that they’ve both often remarked on as a point of pride: We all went to the same institution, with my mom and I both graduating at the top of our classes.)