Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Dr. Tashena Briggs. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Dr. Tashena, thanks for joining us today. We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.

I am a first-generation college student. I proudly come from a single mother and was raised in Markham, IL. College was the next step after high school but navigating the college-going process was difficult for my family. Navigating the journey of my bachelor’s degree and master’s degree remained difficult to navigate. It wasn’t until my doctoral journey that I had enough experience and understanding to navigate the college-going process. During this timeframe I began serving as the Director for TRIO Upward Bound. Within this role I had the pleasure of supporting first-generation, low-income, and academically at-risk students and their families. It was so fulfilling to help these students and their families reach their education goals with confidence and ease. I did formal research on exploring the needs while supporting this population. I was able to make a direct connection to many families that trusted me, leaned on me, and sought my advice to help their families excel. The students and family that I worked with became family. Their lives and future were very personal for me, and I remain invested in their lives and future. Every grade, acceptance letter, job interview, scholarship award, etc. was personal for me and brought me so much joy!

All of the experience and expertise I have gained has allowed me to support family and friends that can easily use me as a resource. The way that my husband and I are raising our two son allows them to have complete access to resources that allow them to start planning early for their future,

My boys are the reason I started H&H Higher Education Services! All of the resources and support they have I want to make sure other children, families, and communities have. I knew my business would work because not every family, school district, and community have the access and knowledge to navigate the college-going process, seek out and prepare for careers, and obtain a mentor with ease.

My approach is relationship building. I believe that is the foundation for families, schools, and communities to feel comfortable and trust me. From there I am able to build a strong connection which allows my client to wholeheartedly receive my services with an open mind.

Dr. Tashena, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I was raised in a single-parent household, in addition set me up to be a first-generation college student. My mom supported my college endeavors but was unsure how to help me navigate the college-going process. My mom signed me up for the TRIO Educational Talent Search program which opened up many doors for me. I was able to get guidance on how to navigate going to college, applying for college, and the opportunity to physically visit colleges for free with the program.

I have a deep passion for uplifting and sharing resources with families of similar backgrounds. I hold a Bachelor of Arts in Broadcasting from Western Illinois University.

I obtained a Master of Science in Adult and Higher Education and an Educational Doctorate in Community College Leadership from Northern Illinois University. I have over 15+ years of experience within higher education which includes supporting underrepresented students and families through the college-going progress, mentoring, diversity work, community connections, sorority and fraternity life, residential on campus housing, and empowering the younger generation. I successfully started and managed a TRIO Upward Bound college-preparation program in the Northern Illinois region.

I offer a Girl Talk Mentoring Program, College Bound & Transition Coaching Program, college preparation support, life skills support, workforce development support, career coaching, and doctoral dissertation journey support,

I am most proud that I have successfully positioned students, their families, and adult learners in positions to have better life circumstances. I am proud that I am able to share my knowledge and expertise with communities and families that truly need, seek, and deserve it,

I want potential clients/followers/fans to know that I am here to help. It’s my personal mission and calling to uplift and educate communities. I am Dr. Tashena D. Briggs because I had mentors, resources, experiences, and opportunities to help me figure college and career choices. I want to pass that along and do my part in this world.

I have been married to my loving husband Aaron for 11 years and we have two sons, Harper and Hunter. My boys are the reason I started H&H Higher Education Services! All of the resources and support they have I want to make sure other children, families, and communities have. The H&H in H&H Higher Education Services is a tribute to my little love bugs.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

My high school counselor discouraged me from pursuing a four-year college because she said that she doesn’t “think I could cut it at a four-year college, and it’s best that I only focus on community colleges.” This was devasting because I was a “B” student with a lower ACT score. I share this news with my mom, and she was very encouraging. She asked me was my goal to go to college. Through tears, hurt, and pain, “I said yes, of course.” My mom said, “well that is exactly what you are going to do.” My mom didn’t know how to help me, but she sought out resources to help me achieve my goal. I continued to work hard in high school and was the only student accepted on the spot to Western Illinois University during a campus visit from my TRIO Educational Talent Search group.

Years later during my doctoral journey, I had a professor tell me that my timeline was too ambitious, and she didn’t think I could finish on time. I found that interesting and shared my timeline was based on the timeline that the department suggested to everyone in my cohort. That was discouraging but once again, I got my mind together, got organized, formed a plan, and completed my timeline causing me to successfully defend my dissertation.

Have you ever had to pivot?

I have always been a very ambitious person that has worked hard within my career. I was 29 years old when I started my doctoral program, which put me as the youngest in my cohort. I have also prided myself on professionalism, professional excellence, and career planning. Throughout my doctoral journey, my husband and I discussed that we wanted to expand our family. When I started my doctoral program, we only had one child and he was two years old. After I successfully defended my dissertation and my degree was conferred, my husband and I expended our family. We were blessed with our second son, a brand-new house, and I started a new job a few months prior to that. I continued working after I had my second son, but I had to pivot. I still held a full-time job in a community college, but the fire that I usually have for career advancement was really dim. I took the first two years of my second son’s life to enjoy my family and relinquish the pressures I put on myself for career planning and excelling to the next role in order to advance my career.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.hhcollegeprep.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hhcollegeprep/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/HH-Higher-Education-Services/61550763161239/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-tashena-d-briggs/
• Other: https://linktr.ee/hhcollegeprep