Faces of NLU: Meet Whit Devereaux
An NLU graduate and working mom uses her story of survival and the skills she gained from her degree program to empower victims of domestic violence.
Whit Devereaux would be the first to admit that her profession is difficult to define. She describes herself as an “employed entrepreneur,” and while that may not specify a particular job, that’s because her career path has been expansive and varied. Whit has worked in a number of different roles since graduating with her bachelor’s degree from National Louis University (NLU) in 2010: nonprofit founder, author and PR manager.
After earning her associate degree, Whit chose to come back to school to earn her bachelor’s degree while also balancing her duties as a working mother. She says she chose the B.A. in Applied Behavioral Sciences program at NLU because of its flexible schedule and the University’s generous transfer credit acceptance.
“I chose National Louis University because of the cohort style of the program,” Whit says. “It was the best format for me [as] a young, working mother. Saturday classes worked well for my schedule. The school also accepted all of my classes/credits from Northwestern Business College [now Northwestern College], where I had previously received my Associate in Paralegal Studies.”
National Louis University offers generous transfer credit acceptance for all transfer students and even allows non-traditional students to earn college credit for work and life experience through the Credit for Prior Learning program.
While earning her B.A., Whit was enduring a personal struggle outside of class, and it took one NLU professor reaching out to make all the difference.
“When I was a student at National Louis, I was in an abusive relationship,” Whit says, “and my teacher helped me realize my worth by simply caring enough to ask how I was really doing. Once I graduated and made it out of that situation, I made it my mission to spread domestic violence awareness, prevention, and recovery resources through my books and workshops with local schools, churches, and nonprofit organizations.”
Whit helps victims of domestic violence through her nonprofit, and she also works as a PR manager and has authored several books.
“I help small business owners with obtaining media, partnerships and sponsorships through Whit Devereaux Enterprises,” Whit explains, “and I facilitate Partner Abuse Intervention Groups at the Center for Advancing Domestic Peace. My nonprofit, Not By My Own Community, Inc., is where I serve survivors of abuse monthly. I have written five books, including my award-winning novel, Not By My Own, and children’s book, The Girl With The Crooked Smile.”
The multi-faceted nature of her career is what Whit enjoys most about it:
“I wear many hats, which allows me to have variety in my day-to-day tasks while utilizing each of my interpersonal skills. I am a servant leader in my role and get the opportunity to give back to others impacted by domestic violence.”
Although her roles differ, Whit says the skills she learned in her Applied Behavioral Sciences degree program have helped her succeed in all of them. Specifically, she says she learned how to “understand why people may possibly do the things that they do [and] how to interact with them [more effectively].”
Whit leaned on her community at NLU when times were tough, and she encourages current NLU students to do the same.
“Reach out to your teachers and classmates for support,” she says. “It really is a very welcoming environment where everyone wants to see you win. Set your goals and remind yourself of them when challenges arise.”
Interested in our degree completer programs? You can view all of our degree programs here or contact an Enrollment Specialist online or by calling (888) 658-8632 to discuss your professional and educational goals.
