Impactful Leadership: The Importance of Relationships Throughout Education
In this episode of Unstoppable Stories, host Nathan James is joined by Cory Underwood, a high school assistant principal and UMGC alumnus, to share his powerful story about higher education and leadership.
Cory opens up about the educational struggles he faced throughout his life and what it was like pursuing higher education later on. He highlights the importance of building meaningful relationships with students and demonstrates how to make a lasting impact in your community. His story is a true testament to the power of leading by example.
Episode Information
Cory Underwood: There's so much negativity as it is in the world. Why not shine some light, be positive. You know, show them that there's a different way besides, you know, violence or yelling or cussing. Like you can do things different and get the results that you want. And no, it's not always easy, and it's not always glamorous at times because a lot of times the bad behaviors get all the attention and things like that, but at the end of the day, it's worth it.
Cory Underwood:
Doing things the right way, doing things for the right reason. The payoff is, is coming in this, it'll be worth it once they get there.
Intro:
Welcome to the UMGC podcast, Unstoppable Stories with your host, Nathan James.
Nathan James:
Hey everybody, hope you're having a great day. Uh, I'm here today with. Cory Underwood. Uh, he is the high school assistant principal, a high school assistant principal, and, uh, he actually graduated, uh, from UMGC, uh, in 2017, Master of Education. And, uh, Cory, we're happy to have you on today. Thank you. Thank you. I'm glad to be here. Yeah, thank very much. Yeah. Thanks for making time outta your, your, your busy schedule, I'm sure. Um, vice principal. Uh, yes. What do you love about what you do?
Cory Underwood:
What inspires you? It's, it's easy. It's, uh, it's just working with kids, you know, that's, for some reason, it's just natural. That's the natural thing in my life. Some people are good with numbers, some people are good with cars and, and things like that. I'm just good with kids. Um, and so that's just been the natural thing for me. And so, um, you know, just, just working through life and, and figuring out what works for me and, and how to get through to people what my purpose is. It's just been working with kids, huh?
Nathan James:
Huh? Yeah. I'm sure they keep you, uh, on your toes, I'm sure. I'm sure. What, what's your, uh, day to day look like? Day to day,
Cory Underwood:
You know, get to work before I can even get to my office. Probably get stopped three or four times by staff, um, with one issue or, you know, one issue or another. I go outside for buses. You know, all the buses roll in the drop offline, so all the kids are coming in. Some kids are saying hi. Some kids are, are upset to see me, but either way it's okay. And then, and then from there, honestly, we're rolling. You know, I try to go to my office and get a to-do list done and the to-do list for today turns into to-do list for tomorrow.
Um, but you know, just trying to prepare myself for anything that may come up. Because anything and everything does come up from phone calls to, to go to a classroom for a behavior issue or whatever issue, or, uh, I know one day the power went out. Um, so just honestly just preparing myself for anything. So it's nonstop from the time I get to work.
Nathan James:
Yeah. Yeah. No, I'm talk about keeping you guessing. Uh, look, now you're an educator. Um Yes. And we know you're a family. You come from a family of educators. Yes, yes. Right. Um, and obviously at one point, I mean, you're, you know, vice principal of a high school. You were in your student shoes at one point, uh, and, uh, uh, you struggled through high school.
You struggled through high school at one point in high school you were failing? I think five classes, I think it was. Um, so yeah. You've been in, you, you've been in a lot of your student shoes, right? Uh, what for you, right, in your journey, what, what turned it around for you?
Cory Underwood:
Honestly, my parents. I. Um, man, I was a freshman. I didn't, I didn't know y'all remembered that, but when I was failing, I was failing five classes. And, and what makes it even worse is my dad was the principal at the time.
Nathan James:
Oh, wow.
Cory Underwood:
Yeah, yeah, yeah. That, that, that was the last thing that he needed to see. And, um, I, I just know from then on, I, I can't say what, what happened. At home. But you know, I, I, I got straightened out and from then on I carried every book home, every day to every class. Nothing was in my locker. Um, but I had supportive parents. I had parents that came from two different backgrounds, but both were in education. My mom was a art teacher, so she was in education as well.
So I came from a family of educators, obviously. But, um, just having both of my parents and having that support, I. Um, and then my brother, he was a senior at the time, so just having multiple people. My grandparents lived down the street, so they were around. I had aunts and uncles. I had everybody close to me, so I really had that village as well as teachers and other staff down to the, uh, building service workers who cleaned and fix the building. Everyone was there to kind of encourage me and keep me on track.
Nathan James:
Wow. So, I mean, yeah, yeah, yeah. I mean, so you know what it's like to struggle. Absolutely. You know, what it's like to sort of be back into that corner, and I'm sure some of those dinner conversations around the table with your dad, uh, were, were, were, were very fun. But, uh, uh, what do you say now, right? I mean, you look and you see students who, you know, maybe struggling now, right? And, and where you were. Um, what do you say to them now, uh, when you see them in your, in those, in those, uh, in those shoes?
Cory Underwood:
I, I just, I try to be honest with them and I let them know where I struggle and that I was kind of in the same boat and that I had five Fs at one point. And, um, you know, I let 'em know that everyone's circumstances are different. Their story and my story is gonna be different. How they grew up and how I grew up may be different, but I'll let them know that they do have people that support them. I let 'em know that I support them. That, you know, I have their back.
And that's part of the reason why I got into, you know, this role of being an assistant principal because I wanted to support students in a, in a bigger way, um, you know, in a, in a larger position. But I just let them know that I'm here 100%, whatever they need, um, whether they're repeating a grade and they want to get back in their right raid, I just let them know, look. As long as you put forth your effort and you do your part, I got your back and I'll help you get there. So I just, I just help them, you know, understand that I care, that I want them to achieve their dreams, whatever it is, and I'll help 'em get to that point so they know they got people.
Nathan James:
Yeah. Yeah, that's gotta be really, um, great for them to hear coming from, you know, their vice principal. You know, I, I was actually homeschooled, believe it or not, kindergarten through 12th grade. Okay. Uh, my vice principal was my mom. Right. My dad was my principal.
Nathan James:
But, you know, so I'm trying to imagine, I, I have heard sometimes like folks can be intimidated by vice principals or principals for that. So, I'm imagining it's probably great. I mean, it's probably a good feeling for them to feel like you're coming alongside them, rather. Absolutely. You don't seem like you carry yourself as the kind of guy with a big stick that's like, you better do this, or else.
Cory Underwood:
No, you know, they, they've had that their whole lives and I let the, the kids know, and I let the parents know. I let the teachers know, I'm not here to make your life difficult. I want to come here. I want to enjoy what I'm doing. I want everyone to have a good time. Just do what they need to do and let's all go home. I'll go down the hallway, I'll joke, I'll sing, I'll dance. I'll do it. My kids know I'm crazy.
They know I'll do whatever, but it's about just having fun. If you don't enjoy and love what you're doing, then you doing something wrong. So I know that I love what I'm doing. I know I enjoy it every single day, no matter how difficult a day may be. You know, I just, I wake up and I know there are kids that are looking forward to seeing me when I get to work. Um, you know, they come to school to see me because they need to talk to me.
And so, you know, I, I just try to keep things light. Make it light.
Nathan James:
Obviously you're a role model at this point, right? For these kids. Um, why is being a positive role model, uh, for them? So important?
Cory Underwood:
I think I was having a conversation with one of my students today. There's so much negativity as it is in the world.
There's so many things that can persuade them and influence them in a negative way, but I, I wanna see all of them make it, whether they're in my grade, 'cause I have ninth graders, whether they're a ninth grader or whatever. There's so much negativity in the world, why not shine some light, be positive, you know, um, show them that there's a different way besides, you know, violence or yelling or cussing.
Like you can do things different and get the results that you want. And no, it's not always easy and it's not always glamorous at times because a lot of times the, the bad behaviors get all the attention and things like that, but in the end, at the end of the day, it's worth it. So I, I just want to, um, let them know that doing things the right way, doing things for the right reasons, the payoff is at the end, it's coming and it's at the end, and it'll be worth it once they get there.
Nathan James:
So you started out as a. Take us on your journey. Okay. Because you started out, I think as a, you know, on your teaching journey, I mean, and then to where you are in administration, but you started out as a substitute teacher, uh, I understand. Uh, and then from teacher and, and now vice principal. Right. Um, I mean, if you could summarize what it was like to get to that point.
I know there were ups and downs along the way.
Cory Underwood:
Yeah, absolutely. Um, I started out as a long-term substitute, um, actually at the same middle school that I went to. I. So, you know, a lot of staff knew me because some of my teachers were still there. That taught me Oh wow. Everything. Yeah. So, um, I started out as an eighth grade physical science teacher, and I know nothing about physical science. So I was literally just in there, just flipping through the book, like, all right, today, this is what we're doing, this vocab, we're doing this, this is what we're doing today. But then, um, one of our PE teachers left. You know, my initial major was more so into, you know, PE and health and, and things like that. And so they moved me into that role. Um, so I did that for three years and I actually ended up, um, that was in Virginia. I actually ended up moving to Maryland. Um, when I came to Maryland, I wasn't sure if I wanted to continue in education, and so I actually started doing something else. I was, you know, I, I figured I would try with everyone else.
Do I sit in my cubicle? Look at numbers, and that's what I was going to do. Yeah, that didn't work. That didn't work. Not even, I didn't last a year. Uh, it's not for everybody, right? No. No, not at all. It wasn't for me. The turning point really came when some of my old students that I taught, uh, when they were in middle school, they started reaching out to me saying, Mr. Dunworth, can you come back? Can you teach us now that we're in high school? Can you, and I said, you know what? I said, I love working with kids, man. I said, let me, let me go back to trying to at least get into that. So while I didn't go back to them, I had to start the process all over again. 'cause that wasn't the, the original plan when I went to college to be an educator.
Um, so I had to kind of start from the ground up and I actually was, um, uh, in school suspension monitor for a year. So I had to apply to do that. So I did that for a year. That's exciting. No. Uh, it is, it is. It's, I mean, but, but, but when I show up to work and I have, uh, about 20 kids already waiting for me to go in the Yeah. To, okay. Yeah. Old. Oh, okay. But, um, you know, after a year, um, I applied to being in the program, um, it's the, called the Resident Teacher Program in Prince George's County. And, um, I got into that and this, uh. A summer long program where they kind of teach you, you know, what you need to, what you need to learn before you go into the classroom. And then there's a day where principals actually come and talk to you for a few minutes and say, you know, whether or not they want you at this school. And it's kind of like an interview, but it's, you know, it's a little bit more laid back than that. And I got selected to go to a school where I was at for, geez, eight years.
Um, teaching, um, everything health, everything health related. So from health to family, living to um, you know, athletic training. Uh, I taught all of those classes all different levels. Um, and then it came a point, maybe a year or two after I started teaching there and I was like, you know what? I need to do something else. I need to go ahead and look towards the future. And my wife was a big supporter of mine and she definitely pushed me to go ahead and do that. And my students actually was like, Thunderwood, you'd be great. You'd be a great assistant principal. You should do it. You should do it. And so one of 'em actually wrote it on my board that I was gonna be an assistant principal and I left it up there for a long time.
Nathan James:
That is so cool. Yeah, yeah, yeah. You had a fan club going on there, man,
Cory Underwood:
I'm telling you man. I'm telling you. I had a lot of support. I had a lot of support. And so that's when, that's when I jumped into, uh, UMGC and that's how that got started. Um, and there was some struggles when I was at UMGC because. I graduated undergrad was done in 2006 and now, what is it? It's 2014 now, so it's, it's been some time and I, I told myself I was never going back to school, you know, that whole deal and all of that, so, yeah. Yeah. That's a what, a seven year gap, something like that, right? Yeah. Yeah. And so now I'm trying to get back in the groove and I'm, I'm still trying to figure out, you know, my teaching style and I'm dealing with stuff at work and, you know, I got young kids and it was just a lot. But once I found my groove and I kind of got into it and things started to come together, things started to continuously make sense and I could kind of see the light at the end of the tunnel. And so UMGC, honestly it, it set me up big time for, for success. And, um, like I, I know I've said it before.
Some people laugh at me when they see my commercial and stuff like that. I'm like, man, you don't mean that. So I'm like, no, I'm serious though. Like, if, if I didn't go to UMGC, like I, I don't think I would be here. I don't think I'd be here right now. No, not at all. So, um, but the thing is, I had to leave my county I was in, I was in Prince George's County. I had to leave to kind get my shot, but everything worked out fine. So, um, I started out because they, um, where I'm at now, they have a, they have an intern program. So for up and coming assistant principals to have an intern program. So I got into that and that gave me a year of experience without having to be fully into the role.
Um, so that was real good. The only thing with that. It was that COVID year, so there were no kids in the building.
Nathan James:
Okay. Right, right, right, right.
Cory Underwood:
So I didn't really get the full, the full effect of having kids in the building. And so I actually got promoted the year after that and I'm like, man, can I get one more year to kind of see how things are going? But now, and, and things went well, man, my first day of school when all the kids came back and we were back in person. My heart just beating outta my chest because I didn't know what to expect. This was, this was a whole, a whole new, brand new for me. And so, um, but no, everything, it, it worked out great and I had a great team. I had support. Yet again, my old kids were supporting me. The new kids are supporting me. I just, I had people that I, I was a lucky one. Yeah. I'm not, I was a lucky one. Yeah. Huh. Yeah. I, I've been blessed on this journey to have the support and people around me.
Nathan James:
Yeah. Have, yeah. Family. I mean, you, they are got your, your family. You got your school family, right? Yes. Where you, where, where, where, where you work. Yes. Um, the UMG fam GC family. Yes. You know? Yes. We're, we're, we're happy. Super happy You've gotten to be a part of your journey along that way as well, and Yeah, absolutely. I mean, goodness. I mean, look how far that you've come, I mean, going back to when you were first starting out at UMGC. Okay. Um, talk about the challenge of what it was like to go back to school. At the time it had been, like we talked about seven, eight years Yeah. Since you've gotten your undergrad. Right. Um, I know you said your students, uh, helped to inspire you.
Um, maybe we could start there like. They wrote on your board, but what is it that they saw? What is it that they saw? I don't hear that every day where students are telling, pushing their teachers to do something like that. You know,
Cory Underwood:
I don't, I don't know, man. I just, I always pride myself and I, I always have until this day on building relationships with the kids, because if you don't have the relationship with the kids like it, it's going to be a long road. It's gonna be a hard journey, and all you're going to be to them is a disciplinarian. That's all they're gonna see you as. They're not gonna see you as someone who actually cares. So they always saw me as someone that they could relate to, that they could talk to. Um, I always tell the story, and I told this recently to uh, I think one of my teachers recently, every year when I was teaching, the kids would write notes or, you know, the school would have students write notes or, you know, things that they were thanking teachers for.
And one young lady, she wrote a note to me. It basically said, thank you for letting me be me. You let me be in class. You didn't force me to do anything I wasn't comfortable with. You didn't force me to be in groups. You let me be quiet. You let me be who I am, and that means the world to me. And it clicked and, and it just connected for me because it makes sense, because, you know, even though I wasn't necessarily trying, like it was just something that came natural to just let the kids be them, like, I'm not forcing. Kids to get in the groups or to do something they're not comfortable with, because I know how I would feel. Um, so let them be them. So I, I think that's kind of where it started. And I even had a young lady, she was, um, she was real close to me and she said, Ms. Sun Woods, she said, my, my dad isn't in my life, but if I ever get married, I'm gonna find you and I would like for you to walk me down the aisle. Those were the type of relationships that I was building with my kids. For them to support me. It didn't really come as a shock to me, um, because we just had that type of relationship. So, like I said, I was blessed to have that kind of support around, but I had the kids' backs. They knew that and they had mine.
And so that type of support just came real easy to me. Um, so yeah, that, that was, I don't know. That was, that was easy.
Nathan James:
Yeah. So you're super charged, you know, with this motivation and, and you've got this belief, right? Um, that, that's coming from your students and, and family, right? Yeah. So at this point, okay, I'm pumped. I'm gonna go back to school, right?
Cory Underwood:
Yeah. I'm nervous. A little nervous. I'm, I'm real nervous. I imagine so. I'm real nervous.
Nathan James:
What were you nervous about failing?
Cory Underwood:
Failing. That's, that's always a fear of mine failing. Yeah. Yeah. Um, I had to learn that some of the greatest things on the other side of fear. So once you, once you get past the fear, then you know it, it's okay. And, and the worst thing that can happen is I, I fail and I have to try again. But, um, it had been a long time since I had been in school. I was never the strongest writer. And so I'm like, I gotta go back. I gotta write papers, I gotta, you know, be on top of it.
Like I said, I got two small kids. I think, um, I think at the time, wow, my, my, my daughter was four and then I had a newborn. And then also I'm teaching, and so, you know, I, I need, um, I need additional funds and so I'm working on the weekends and so there were times when I was taking classes that I was working seven days a week and two jobs, three jobs on the weekend. No way. Yeah. Hmm. So, um hmm. But I have a book of positive quotations. Okay. And so with all these people that surround me and believe in me, there's a quote that says, um, it's disrespectful to quit when you have people that believe in you. And I just, I always think about it. I can't quit because if I quit, it's like it's disrespectful to those who are believing in me and want me to get there. Or willing to sacrifice with me and go through it with me. I can't give up. So it was just, it was just hard just going back to school and, you know, the timeline, I'm not, I wasn't the best, you know, at being organized and like I said at writing papers and I don't know, it was just a struggle trying to go back and get my mind and, you know, prepare for all of that.
But I knew if I was gonna be a vice principal. I had to go through this anyway. I was going to, you know, have to write a lot. I was gonna have to communicate a lot. I was going to have to have strict, you know, deadlines and things like that. So I just had to push through it. Had to push through it.
Nathan James:
You at that point are looking for schools. We got to be a part of your journey. Enter UMGC. Um, an honor, you know, and a privilege. Um, what made you, what made you choose us? It could have been any school and Right. Um, and, and, and you joined the UMGC family?
Cory Underwood:
I don't know, man. You know, sometimes you just get a vibe, you know, and sometimes you just get a vibe and it doesn't.
Sometimes when you even just seeing the name, and I know the name was kind of, it was different back then, but when you see the name sometimes and you see where you are and you look online and look at the classes and look at the websites, and I didn't even really have to talk to anyone. Sometimes, like I just, I follow energy and I follow the vibes that I get.
Even from the smallest thing, like I said, it could be from the website, something that I'm reading or, or something that I'm looking at. Or, or even the commercial that I'm seeing sometimes I just, I, I get a vibe and I say, no, that just seems like me. That just seems better suited for me. So it didn't take me a lot of research and stuff and talking to five or 10 different No, I, I didn't, I I don't need it.
I'm the same way. When I shop, when I go to the mall, I know what I want. I'm going in there, I'm picking that shirt and I'm leaving with that shirt, and that's all I'm going for. Like, I'm, I'm, I'm easy pick. I'm easy when it comes to that. So that was, that was the easy one, huh? Huh. That's
Nathan James:
great. Yeah. I mean, so you, you're, you're coming to UMGC, um, you had to face this fear of failure.
Um, did that happen? Did your fears play out? Did you have to press through it? What did that look like? Um,
Cory Underwood:
actually, I, I, I did pretty well. I did pretty well. I think the only, I, I think my first semester was the only semester I got a B Everything else was an a, a a minus, whatever the case may be.
Speaker 5: Yeah.
Cory Underwood:
And let me tell you.
That was rare for me because if we talk about my grades, you know, we talked about failing the five classes at one point, and then at undergrad I had some struggles there that I don't wanna talk about. That was rough too. That was even worse. But when I got there, um, you know, things came together and I tell kids, like, now I know and I can tell other people.
Things always work itself out. As long as you put forth the effort, you believe, you know, it'll work itself out. So I didn't have real academic struggles until. It was one class that I, that I figured, Hey, I, I might need to give this one. I might need to withdraw and try this one at, at, at another time. And I think it was, um, gosh, I don't wanna say the wrong class.
Nathan James:
There's no pressure. I don't, there's no pressure. We know it was that one class. It sounds like it was a little later in your program.
Cory Underwood:
It was, it was. Um, but nonetheless, I, I failed my first two assignments. Ooh, okay. And, you know, once you get, you know, later in the program and online classes, you don't have many, many assignments to kind of make up for that.
And I said, man, I failed my first two. I said, nah. I said, I, I, I might need the withdrawal. But I stuck it out and I actually got an A in the class. Um, so I had to put in some work. I put in some major work with that class. That's a 180. Yeah, yeah. But that professor really like, really made me think differently about how I wrote, like that was the first professor, and I wish I could give her credit with her name, but she was the first one to really make me look at how I wrote and how many unnecessary words and, and punctuation and things like that.
Like she was on it. But that made me so much, that that was the, that was the best, best class when it came to, when it came to writing. That was the best one that I took. Outta my entire time. Easy.
Nathan James:
What do you, so do you think it was lessons from classes just like that, uh, that helped you? I. Most probably in your professional career, right? Because you've, you've said that in the commercial that you mentioned that you did for us. Mm-hmm. Everybody. Cory did an awesome commercial for us. It was great. It was. Thank you. You killed it. I appreciate it. Uh, right, right. I mean, at one point, for folks that don't know, uh, folks don't know this, that you were named Teacher of the Year. Which is great. I mean, you weren't just a teacher. You were an excellent teacher. Wonderful teacher. And, uh, and you talked about how things like that wouldn't have happened, you know, without UMGC. Mm-hmm. I'm wondering if it's for reasons like that. If you could, you know, take the mic,
Cory Underwood:
You know, it was, it was, it's 50 50. Um, it was because it was a lot of what I learned. It was the content that I learned. I was so into. The Web 2.0 tools and technology and things like that. I, I was trying to use technology that no one else was really using before it was a thing before COVID hit. Now everyone's using the Nearpods and, and things like that. Yeah, I was, I was already on that, but we didn't have the resources to do it because we didn't need everyone to have a laptop, you know, at the time. So a lot of those things that I learned. Probably the most interesting class before I get to the other side of things was global perspectives, because it made me think in, in such a broad way, I was so focused on what was local, competing locally being better than this local school.
But it got me to think, not only countywide, but it got me thinking statewide and then nationwide and then globally. It got me to really think about how to connect my class to the rest of the world. And that was, that was mind blowing because I, I, I never would've written a lesson plan that connected my class to a class in another country. I, I would've never thought it was even possible. And so, um, yeah, that, that was, that was just the, the light switch definitely came on in those moments. But then there were also moments where it wasn't content related. It was me interacting with my group when we had a group project to do, and, um, everyone having to do their part and, um, you know, my part's done and I say, Hey, okay, I'm, I'm done, my part, and everyone else has to work on something. But then they come back, oh, Cory, we need you to change your part. Huh? I'm like, like, what? Like what, what, what are we doing? Or when you have the, the people who just go ghost and how to navigate that and how to deal with that. But then you have professors who honestly, like you can tell, even though it's, it's over computer and it's virtual, you can tell how much they care and how much they're passionate about what they're doing.
And it kind of just flows into like, if you have that real passion and energy for doing it, like it just flows into. So it just, it, that's how it happened for me. And so just dealing with different people. Seeing where, you know, different people came from. And I'm not gonna say that, that I keep in contact with people, but I, I don't forget the people that I interacted with, from my professors to my classmates. I don't forget some of those conversations or things that I've learned from them. So it was, it was really 50 50 because the content was so much on point. Like, there was not a class I took where I was like, this is useless. I, I like, I don't need this right now. I'm not learning anything from this. Like every single class I took as tech savvy and computer savvy as I was, there wasn't a class where I was like, I, I don't need this, like this. This isn't helping me at all. And then at the same time, there wasn't a class that I took where I wasn't able to take. Experience from it based on my interactions with people, um, and things like that. So for me, 50 50 easy.
Nathan James:
Did that help you of failure? I'm just curious. Um, even I'm thinking not just UMGC now, but also where you went for your undergrad. Right. Um, you, I know it wasn't a fun chapter, right. But getting your undergrad look, I remember when I got my undergrad, it was like one of the hardest things I've ever done. Okay. Yes it was. Yeah. And you can relate to that. Um, but you talked about obviously just the energy. You're energized by what you were learning.
You're energized with the people that became a part of your journey, not just your instructors. That's important, but also your fellow students. Um, is that good advice for people who are also afraid of the failure to whether go to school or whether it be anything else you found? You, you mentioned the word flow. Actually, I really liked that. You found a flow. Mm-hmm. Passion started coming through. Right. Um, and then it felt like it was curtains at that point. Yeah. Yeah. Does that help get to, could you comment on that? Like, I'm just curious, does that help with the failure? Uh, fear.
Cory Underwood:
It does because you remember why you're doing it. And we ask teachers all the time, don't forget your why. Like, why are you doing it? Why do you wake up every day? Why do you stay up late? Lesson plan? What is your why? Um, and so I just had to remember why I was doing this. What I set out to do in the beginning. And I'm not a quitter. I don't like to give up. Um, even though times get really hard, they get really tough. Um, and honestly, even talking to some people who may have been in my class, them talking about how they wanted to like give up or quit, I just listened to it. I was like, man, that sounds, that sounds horrible. I was like, I, I can't be one. I can't do that.
Like, that can't be me. I can't be one that just wants to get like, nah, nah, no. So that also pushed me even more like hearing other people talking about how, how they wanted to give up or how they were thinking about stopping and coming back later. I, no, no, no, no, no. I can't do that. Like, that's, that's just not, that's not in me. That's not how I'm built. I, I don't do that. So that actually just pushed me even more to stay focused, to stay on point, to grind it out, to ask for help. To get it done and to just rise to the occasion and, and just, and be better. Like I said in my commercial, I, I just wanted to be better. I wanted to show everyone that you can do this and you can be better. So, yeah.
Nathan James:
Huh. This makes me want to introduce you to someone I was talking to literally this week. Right. With another, with a, with a, with, with another college that I, that I get to do some outreach, um, right. With on their campus and, um. That's a guy, you know, great guy. Um, super smart. Yeah. Uh, philosophy major. Okay. And, uh, and, um, you know, he's, uh, thinking he may not move forward with his schooling at, at move forward with his classes anymore. And I was saying, what's going on? You were doing so well. You know, what, what's, what's going on? Like, tell me. Um, and, uh, and he said, you know, I look at these assignments and I just look and the one thing that comes across my mind is why. Why, why am I doing this? And I was sad. This, this was on Wednesday. Wow. Okay. This was, in other words, it was this week. Right, right, right. Um, and, uh, you know, I was sad. I was sad because he had, was into a, he was, he was pushing into a corner mentally where the motivation and the why was just not there.
Right. Hmm. What do you say to someone. What do you say to him? What do you say to someone like that who can't, doesn't seem like they have a way to find their why? Uh, and that could be whether it's school or it could be anything in life.
Cory Underwood:
You know, sometimes it's difficult because as much as at times I wanna push people, sometimes people know when it's too much. And I respect when people know this is too much right now, and this might not be the time I can respect that. But if you're going to stay in it. I just say push because you can do it. You've shown that you can do it because you're in this moment. You're in it. So you've shown that you can get here and, and you've proven why you deserve to be here, so keep going. Just like when I was in undergrad, like I, after my freshman, my first freshman semester, I actually got kicked out. I was on academic suspension. They told me, don't come back till you get your life together basically. Like it was, it was, it was bad. That's real. Yeah. Yeah. It was real, real. It was real, real.
When I had to tell my parents how real it was. Yeah. But, um, you know, it, it came to a point where, and I tell my students this, you're not doing, you're not doing this for anybody else except for yourself. When I got kicked out, I had a decision to make. Do I go home and I just, you know, go work at the local store and try to make a life and a living and whatever. Do I do this for me, not for my parents, but do I do this for me? My parents always push me to go to school or to go to college to do this or that, but what do I want? You know, this is something that I want. Nothing's gonna get in my way, not even myself. I'm gonna push through and I'm going to do it. And I, like I said, I'm gonna ask for help and I'm gonna pull resources and I'm gonna get it done 'cause I know at the end, when I make it to the end, I can say I did it. Whether I succeed or whether I crash and burn, it's gonna be because I'm doing it. And so I would just say push through is always worth it in the end, once you get to the end. And no one can take that away from you. It's like when you, when you get that diploma, you get that piece of paper when you get that certificate, like no one can take that away from you. Like you went through it. And you know, some people laugh at me because of what my GPA used to be, but I'm like, Hey, that piece of paper don't have no GPA on it doesn't have a GPA on it. But I made it. I made it. And that's the important thing. You have to just push through and make it. And um, you know, but again, I respect when people know when it's too much. I can respect that as well.
Nathan James:
Yeah. Yeah. You mentioned that you made it. Yeah. And, um, you know, so this degree opened the door. Here you are now vice principal. Um, you are, you're doing really well and you're having a, you're having an impact. I know you're having a big impact, uh, role model wise, policy wise. You name it. Um, so, uh, I mean, what would your younger self now, I mean, I'm talking about ninth grade, Cory. Oh, geez. What would he say? Witnessing this now,
Cory Underwood:
I'd probably faint. My, my ninth grade freshman self would probably faint, I would, wouldn't believe it, wouldn't. I still have friends that, that can't believe that I'm doing what I'm doing now. They, they can't believe it. They can't believe it. They can't believe it, but in a good way. They're like, and they tell me like, I'm proud of you. Like, you, like you did it like you made it. And because I was a piece of work, even with my dad being my principal, I was a piece of work. Me and my friends used to man. But, um, yeah. But, but my, my younger self would also tell myself that they're proud of me. For sure. For sure. They would, they would give credit where credit was due and say, wow, you did it. Yeah. Just plain and simple. I'm a simple guy, so just saying, man, proud of you.
Nathan James:
You did it.
Cory Underwood:
Yeah.
Nathan James:
With all the encouragement that your family's given you along the way too, right?
Cory Underwood:
Mm-hmm. I mean, from the get go, your dad, your mom, I don't know how many brothers or sisters you have. Yep, yep.
Nathan James:
Like you said, that whole village.
Cory Underwood:
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah. And that was a, that was a big thing for me, like I had to. I had to finish UMGC. I had to graduate while my grandparents could see it.
Like I, I had to, that, that was, that was one of my, that was one of my main goals. I had to, while they could be at graduation, I. And they could see me do it because like I said, I, no one, no one thought I was gonna finish undergrad like I was. That kind of, I was that kind of person. But so to, to go back to, uh, grad school and finish, like for my grandparents to see that, for my parents, to see that, for my kids, to see that, that was it.
That was it. That was money. My wife, my wife could, could say that I did it and she helped me through it and she was there to support. I'm winning. I'm winning.
Nathan James:
Wow. I mean, they believed in you, right? That's a big word in this, in this case for you, man. Yeah. Believe, uh, they're proud of you. Mm-hmm. I mean, listening to you. I feel proud of you. I appreciate it. Thank, thank you. You know, I can't help it, you know, like that's crazy, but you know. You're, you've made your village proud. Um, yeah. You've been a role model your inspiration, uh, to us. Um, and, uh, look, with that, I want thank you. Just thank you for sharing your time. Um, oh man.
Cory Underwood:
Thank you. I, I appreciate being here. Yeah. I appreciate being here. And you know, it hasn't always been perfect, but you know, I just tell people if it, as long as you try to be better today than you were yesterday, you moving in the right direction. So I'm just, I'm trying to be better every day.
Nathan James:
Cory, that's so good. We appreciate you. Thank you for spending time with us today. Taking time out of that, that schedule of yours. Uh, best wishes. Yeah, absolutely. Absolutely know to your village, to your family, for sure. Thank you. Okay. Tell em we said hello and, uh, and to everybody listening into watching. Uh, wanna thank you, uh, for, for listening, uh, and for watching.
Um, please remember to like, uh, and subscribe, uh, in order to see, uh, more. Unstoppable stories, uh, like Cory's. And, uh, we'll be sure, uh, to see you, uh, next time. Okay.