Mental and physical abuse, hardships, mistakes, drugs and alcohol are all part of the past life of a South Campus student.

Alice Eldridge grew up in poverty, on a farm in Seymour, Texas, where her abusive father would often line up his children against the wall, waving a gun at them.

"He was very scary, and he drank a lot," she said. "He would threaten us at gunpoint."

The abuse would also consist of beatings and threats with other weapons. Her father's abusive ways included beating his wife.

Eldridge was also sexually abused and beaten by older brothers.

The only bright spot in her life was the time spent with her mother.

Eldridge remembers her mother always stressed education. "She was always reading to herself and to us," she said.

"She would often read the Bible to us."

Listening to the landlords and others on the various farms she lived on, Eldridge learned that there were other ways to live.

She thought that getting married would be her way out; instead, she went from one abusive environment to another.

At 15 Eldridge married a man 18 years her senior, who turned out to be just like her father.

"I started living the life my mother had lived before me," she said.

She was told that real women have children and that she had to give him children.

Eldridge gave birth to ten children and had one miscarriage before the age of 26.

"I was his wife; I did what I had to do," she said.

Her husband was a farm hand who was considered very good at many farm jobs, so the family moved around a lot for his work.

Although the police were called many times during his abusive moments, nothing was ever done.

"We were a poor black family. The police would just ask my husband not to hit me anymore," she said.

After a visit from her sister, Eldridge started considering the possibility of another kind of life.

"My sister told me I did not have to live like this," she said.

First, Eldridge started yelling at her husband, and then she started hitting back.

Finally, she got to the point where she wanted to kill him. "My oldest daughter told me to leave him, not kill him," she said.

"My daughter, age 11, loved her father even though he was like that, and I understood."

Eldridge knew she had to get away, so she packed up all her children and left her husband.

She moved her family into the projects in Wichita Falls, where her sister lived.

"Wichita Falls was the biggest city I had ever seen in my life," she said.

She encountered opposition from the city and the project mangers because of the number of children she had.

After overcoming this obstacle, she encountered another in the form of hatred and anger.

"The kids in the projects would throw rocks and things at my children," she said. "It got real bad, my kids were scared."

She moved her family away from the projects and into a small two-bedroom house.

The immediate problem solved, Eldridge now had to care for her children and handle life on her own for the first time.

"I was free: no more beatings, no more anything," she said. "I ran amok; I started using drugs and drinking."

It wasn't until she was called into the principal's office at her oldest son's school that she discovered that some of the things she was doing were wrong.

When her son was caught smoking, Eldridge did not understand why that was wrong. She informed the principal that her son knew he should not smoke at school, only at home with her.

"I did not know to lie. I told him about drinking, smoking and everything else," she said. "We drank when we were little with our father."

The state called this child neglect and Social Services came and took all but the oldest child away from Eldridge.

Eldridge's children knew she loved them, but she did not know how to care for them.

Eldridge's oldest son ran away from his foster home to be with his mother, but the state took him back.

"My children loved me, and I loved them," she said. "I just did not know any better way."

Eldridge would make some bad choices in the years that followed, but she also tried to help herself.

Several times over the years, Eldridge checked herself into institutions to get herself off the drugs. "I was using drugs to help me," she said.

"I was leaning on the drugs." It took time for Eldridge to realize that she did not need the drugs, but, eventually, she took control of her life and stopped using.

She regained custody of all her children one by one except the youngest who had been adopted.

"I discovered that you don't have to use drugs to make it through," she said.

Her life changed after this realization, and Eldridge started doing for others by volunteering.

Through volunteer work, she learned that other people could learn from what she had been through.

By now her children had grown and had their own children, whom Eldridge took in. Her grandchildren were her chance to do the childrearing she missed with her own.

Ill health proved another obstacle for Eldridge to overcome. A diabetic, she has to inject herself with insulin every day.

In 1998 she suffered a heart attack, and last year she had another mild heart attack.

"I am not sick," she said. "I will do until I just can't anymore."

Eldridge got her GED at an adult learning center, where she learned that she could go to college.

Giving a stirring speech at her GED graduation, Eldridge received a standing ovation.

Armed with her new GED and her ID, Eldridge rode the bus to the South Campus and registered.

"It was the happiest day of my life," she said.

Eldridge had raised five of her grandchildren and had helped with some of her other 25 grandchildren.

Once her charges were grown, Eldridge decided that it was her time to do what she wanted.

Her doctor advised against actually going to class; he wanted her to stay home and take it easy.

Eldridge informed him that if she had to stay home, she would die.

"It was an uplifting experience, just being on campus," she said.

The grandmother enrolled in the Women In New Roles (WIN-R) program, which is for women who are starting new chapters in their lives.

"Alice was unpolished, but determined and extremely willing to learn," Judy Cannon, WIN-R instructor, said.

Eldridge believes she was encouraged by the WIN-R program, the instructor and everyone who has been nice to her on campus.

"It is amazing how you can uplift other people's lives," she said.

After hearing a speech by Victor Morales, Eldridge was so impressed she wanted to become a speaker as well.

"Alice finds ways to do what she needs to do," Cannon said. "She does not take no for an answer."

Eldridge wrote a book detailing the good and the bad parts of her life and is now shopping for a publisher.

The Life and Times of Alice Fay Joy Young Bennett Eldridge was written as a way toward healing.

"It was a way for me to find closure," she said.

Eldridge is currently pursuing an associate degree and is qualified for the honor society, but cannot afford the $75 fee.

"Her biggest character trait is her determination," Cannon said.

She explains she gets along with other students because they feel like their mother is beside them, and it makes them comfortable.

Eldridge is comfortable telling people her story because she believes it may be helpful.

People do not have to stay in a rut and keep their lives going in the same direction, according to Eldridge. They can change their lives and be happy.

Eldridge attends meetings of the Interclub Council as the WIN-R representative for 2002-2003.

All student clubs and organizations have a representative on the council for networking purposes throughout the different campuses.

Eldridge also writes poetry and is involved with the WIN-R network as an empowerment chair.

"She is a breath of fresh air. She raises people's sprit," Triesha Light, director of the WIN-R program, said. "She is an ego booster."

Eldridge speaks to different groups in the community and often writes poetry for the special events of the WIN-R program.

The amazing thing about Alice, according to Light, is her wonderful attitude toward life after her experiences.

Light believes most people would have given up.

"I am amazed at what she has gone through to get her education," she said. "She has goals, aspirations and dreams."

Eldridge rode the bus to school for many semesters, and she has never missed a class. Recently, her sister gave her a car.

She has inspired many students to refocus on their own academic life, according to Light.

"I get hugs, and people want to talk to me all the time," Eldridge said. "Just let your light shine and people will see that."

There is no such thing as a bad mood if Eldridge is around, according to Light. She has a calming effect on people.

"Every time I walk on campus, my buttons just pop," Eldridge said. "I always wanted to be here."