Tammy Wood’s Journey with EdOp has come Full Circle.

As a former scholarship recipient, current board member, student mentor and past president of Educational Opportunities, I can personally vouch for the life-changing nature of this organization. My connection to Educational Opportunities began in 1986 when I was personally interviewed by board members, including Carolyn Clark, one of the organization’s founders who eventually became my mentor. In the interview, Carolyn and the other interviewers offered heartfelt sympathy and encouragement when I revealed my life story of near homelessness, parental abandonment, financial struggles, and strong desire to be the first one in my family to attend college. The financial support from Educational Opportunities helped make that dream a reality. The personal mentoring from Carolyn Clark (from picking me up and taking me to organizational events when I had no transportation, to spending time on the phone with me to talk about my studies and help me navigate through personal issues) provided that “parental” guidance I did not otherwise have. As a result, I graduated college with honors, went on to graduate from SMU Law School with honors and am now an equity partner and chair of the litigation section at the Dallas law firm of Bell Nunnally. Shortly after I graduated law school, Educational Opportunities requested that I become involved again by serving on the board. Since then, I have been heavily involved in a “hands on” capacity, serving in roles as president, organizer of student functions, and – most cherished by me – as a student mentor. I am honored to mentor students and provide them the same type of leadership and support that Educational Opportunities provided me to help me achieve my educational goals.