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Forest M. grew up in California, between divorced parents and lived in small towns near Yosemite National Park. “My parents were not college-educated. My father dropped out of high school and never completed it. He worked in construction his entire life, and my mom worked odd jobs, but mostly in the food service industry. We somehow made it by, and I had a fun childhood with my three siblings. Music played an integral part in my growing up years,” he says.  

Forest scored well at school but still struggled academically in many ways because of his undiagnosed ADHD. “I was very smart and would pass my classes with high test scores, but when it came to homework and projects, I lagged. I liked school, but I was always getting in trouble for being too rambunctious in class. I was easily distracted. Only three years ago I decided to seek out help to see if I could be diagnosed and treated, and luckily enough, I have been successful with therapy and treatment,” he adds.  

He won a world music championship in 2007 with the Concord Blue Devils Drum and Bugle Corps at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA, and now teaches music during the evening time after finishing his day job as a Plant Director at Voyage Foods. “I feel it is our duty in life to give others opportunities if we have the means to do that, and that is what drives me to build successful teams both in music and business.” 

How did Forest find out about UoPeople? “I heard about UoPeople through the Ted Talk that President Shai Reshef gave in 2011 when I was working an overnight job, and I also came across a Reddit post talking about ‘tuition-free college’ that included UoPeople. I was hooked but couldn’t find the courage to join until nine years later,” he laughs. 

Forest knew he didn’t have time for traditional school. “I love UoPeople. I have never had such a space where I was able to learn on my own, help others in their education journey. I have made such great friends from all over the world because of the accessibility of the program. My peers and instructors drive me to keep on going on when times are tough,” he shares.  

He chose the business administration program to refine his professional skills further through formal education. He is happy to have started his back-to-school journey with UoPeople and plans on joining the MBA program after finishing his bachelor’s degree. 

With his four kids, online learning, and his job keeping him fully engaged now, Forest feels quite satisfied and enthusiastic—even though juggling everything often gets challenging. He has learned to manage and utilize his time better. He eventually wants to start a non-profit program for the Californian youth that would focus on academic and athletic excellence giving them a chance to go on to college and play a sport to support their educational expenses.  

Forest is surely leading by example and is a great role model for his children and community. As a university with a mission to educate learners like him globally, we are thrilled for his dreams and success. We wish him all the best for everything he wants to attain in his amazing life!