Dream Big

“Dominique you can be anything you want to be”; “If you can dream it, you can achieve it”. These are a couple of the many sayings my parents instilled in my brothers and I growing up. With the support of my parents and encouraging statements cause me to dream big and set my goals high. At the age of 10 I was taught the importance of setting goals and that remains with me today. Among my running list of goals include: playing collegiate volleyball, become an Olympian, wife, mother and nurse. These are the goals I truly believe God has set upon my heart to accomplish and I have walked by faith and courage to achieve them.

By the grace of God I received a Public Health Degree from the University of Arizona while playing volleyball. My intention was later purse nursing after competing as a student-athlete; however I followed my heart and pursed an opportunity to playing volleyball professionally abroad. This decision allowed me to travel the world and play a sport that I love in Germany, Netherlands, Romania and Italy. I never made it on the Olympic team, but I wasn’t for the lack of trying. While I have learned tremendously about myself as a person, player and coach after four years away I missed my family and husband. My dream to be a wife happened before I left to play professionally in 2011. Daniel Marshall is an amazing man who supports and encourages me to do anything and everything that I want. When I finally decided to stop playing we decided to start a family and now we have a beautiful nine month- old baby girl named Gianna.

Now what brings me back to school is the dream to become a nurse. My intentions were to purse nursing after my Bachelor’s was complete, but God had a different plan. I’ve learned to trust in his timing and let him control my life. For years have ran and made excuses about going back to school, but not anymore. I feel that God has placed that dream back in my heart for a reason. And if previous experience can tell you about my character I will pursue every avenue to accomplish my dream.

Daniel and I decided about our family mission statement is, G. FIRE. It stands for God, Family, Integrity, Respect and Education. I truly believe these five elements will help me capture all of the heart desires.