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As an operations specialist aboard the aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) and a sophomore at Old Dominion University (ODU), Operations Specialist 2nd Class Shannon Fountain has a lot on her plate.
Fountain is currently enrolled in ODU’s Dental Hygiene Bachelor’s/Master’s degree program with the goal of becoming a dentist. Afterwards, she plans to apply to Virginia Commonwealth University’s (VCU) School of Dentistry. After graduating, she hopes to get a job working with the military or in a Veteran’s Affairs (VA) office.
“It’s definitely hard to juggle both my job and school,” she said. “While our schedule right now is a lot easier than it was, it’s still a bit of a struggle. You get off of work and drive home; sometimes you just don't feel like studying or going to class, but you have to keep the goal in mind. You have to think long-term.”
As a Sailor at a sea-command, attending class on a regular basis can be difficult, but Fountain has worked with her command in order to overcome any barriers. She attends three, three-hour classes every week at ODU, studying nutrition and anatomy.
“My department and my duty section are really awesome about working around my class schedule,” she said. “They make sure I never have watches that coincide with my class times, which is really helpful. On my duty days, I can stand an early watch, go to my class in the evening and then come back to finish standing duty.”
Although she has many responsibilities regarding her schoolwork, Fountain still manages to excel in her work as a Sailor.
“She is honestly one of my hardest workers,” said Lt. j.g. Nnamdi Moh, Fountain’s divisional officer. “I have seen nothing but dedication from her and no matter what she has going on, she always produces quality work. She is a stellar Sailor and a great asset to the division. I really believe that she will go far in or out of the Navy.”
Even though her job in the Navy has nothing to do with what she one day wants to become, she admits that her fascination with incisors and molars developed at a young age.
“I have always liked teeth and, as a kid, I always wanted to be a dentist someday,” said Fountain. “When I was younger, I had really bad teeth and I used to get teased about it a lot in school. I laugh about it now, but, of course, my feelings were hurt then.”
The negative comments from her peers were short-lived because she eventually received orthodontic treatment.
“I got braces at the age of 12 and it made me feel a lot better about myself. I thought that people at school might laugh at me for having braces, but everybody actually complimented me on them.”
Once her treatment plan was complete, Fountain gained a new appreciation for her pearly whites.
“I got my braces taken off in my ninth grade year in school. The next day at school, everybody was like, ‘Wow!’ With the braces off, my teeth were straight and perfect and my immediate thought was: I want to do that for other people. I want to help other people feel better about themselves and their smiles.”
Fountain said she hopes everybody takes advantage of the ship being in the yards by taking at least one class. It has benefited her in so many ways and she hopes others can reap those same benefits.
| Date Taken: | 08.22.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 08.25.2017 15:05 |
| Story ID: | 246027 |
| Location: | NEWPORT NEWS, VA, US |
| Web Views: | 18 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, GW Sailor Finds Balance With Goals, by Julie N. Vujevich, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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