Grit, determination and hope guide Purdue Global alum

Texas native Walda Collins encourages, inspires graduates 

IRVING, Texas — Walda Collins has had many titles throughout her life. Chef. Author. Marine Corps veteran. Life coach. Pastor. She can now add commencement speaker to the list.

Collins, a Purdue Global alumna from San Antonio, delivered the keynote address for Purdue Global’s three commencement ceremonies Feb. 17 at the Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory in Irving, Texas.

Additional information

• Purdue Global celebrates the accomplishments of nearly 1,200 graduates at commencement ceremonies
• Purdue Global Winter 2024 Commencement Photo Gallery

During her speech, Collins shared with the graduates details of her journey, especially of being a warrior. She encouraged the graduates to be bold and to not stop in the face of adversity.

“Some of you wanted to give up and throw in the towel, but life threw it right back at you and said, ‘You’re too close to give up now,’” Collins said. “Some of you wanted to quit, but the warrior in you wouldn’t allow you to.”

The full text of Collins’ speech is available online.

A journey of learning and giving back

Collins is wired for creativity, which has pushed her into various fields.

“I have the mentality to live life to the fullest,” she said. “I once heard someone say, ‘When I die, I want to die empty.’ I have so much I want to do, so much to give. I want to give everything back to the world so that when I leave this world, I’m empty.”

She credits her mother for being a strong role model, filled with grit and determination, and for passing those traits along to her.

At the age of 19, the Dallas native joined the Marine Corps, left home and never looked back.

Collins worked in supply and logistics and served three tours of duty in Iraq, Afghanistan and on board the USS San Antonio.

Her eyes were opened as she learned about structure, discipline and responsibility, principles she relies on to this day.

“There’s a level of mentality that no matter what, I’m going to get the job done; no matter what, I’m going to complete the mission,” Collins said.

After serving more than 23 years, Collins and her husband, Keith Collins Sr., retired to San Antonio, which they picked because of its military ties.

From ‘guns to gourmet’

As they built their new life and routine in their new city, Collins pondered her next chapter.

She felt a tug at her heart that it had to involve food in some capacity.

“I loved gathering people and gathering around food. I came from a large family, and we would have big family gatherings — that was something that always stuck with me,” Collins said. “I love the joy of serving people, feeding people and watching people be relaxed around a table of food.”

Her first foray into the food industry was making flavorful cupcakes. She enrolled in culinary school, first for bakery and pastry and then becoming a classically trained chef.

“My sister called it going from ‘guns to gourmet,’” Collins said.

Following the completion of her culinary degrees, she became a personal chef for NFL and NBA athletes and people with special dietary needs in Houston, Dallas and San Antonio.

She shifted her business model and started her plans to open a restaurant.

When a local businesswoman looking for a chef asked for Collins’ thoughts on a location, Collins showed her a business plan she had drafted for a breakfast/lunch concept. The businesswoman expressed excitement over the plan, and Collins opened CoCo Bistro in Fair Oaks, Texas, which she operated until the COVID-19 pandemic began.

Collins closed the restaurant and moved into full-time ministry, serving as a pastor of the small groups and growth track at a San Antonio church.

“My nutrition now is not physical; it’s spiritual,” she said.

During that time, Collins felt she needed to do one more thing: earn her college degree.

Purdue Global: ‘Let’s try one more’

Collins researched online schools that would work with her and the college credits she earned from various schools while serving in the Marines.

Purdue Global — Purdue’s online university for working adults — stood out. Following several conversations and confirmation that Purdue Global would take her credits, she signed up.

“They said yes to all my needs,” Collins said. “Someone out there understands military people. Someone understands adult life. There is no straight path. I needed flexibility. Purdue Global was the school that said yes.”

The flexibility turned out to be key, as Collins became the primary caregiver for her mother, who suffered a stroke.

“I’m watching her leave right before my eyes. I wanted to quit,” Collins said. “I’m on the phone with my advisor, Ced Patterson. He said, ‘Let’s just try one more class.’ Another call and he said, ‘Let’s try one more.’ That’s what walked me through the rest of my journey to completion: ‘Let’s try one more.’ Having someone who understood life was very helpful in a very tough season of my life. It’s a big part of how I completed my Purdue Global journey.”

She completed that journey by earning her degree in professional studies in October 2022.

Her mother was her role model, whose example figured into her 2019 book “A Warrior’s Sword,” about helping people overcome adversity and discovering hope.

“I had a strong mother who never let life get her down or have things wear her down. She had to raise five children without a husband; they divorced when I was young. She had tenacity and grit,” Collins said.

Collins continually looked to her mom as an inspiration.

“I think the inner part of me — the never give up, the never quit, the don’t throw in the towel part of me — helped me embrace military life,” she said.

During the commencement ceremony, she encouraged the graduates to remain committed to welcome the challenges and embrace change.

“A warrior must have a ‘no matter what’ mentality. A warrior remains committed until the battle is won,” Collins said. 

Coming full circle

Collins was shocked to be selected as commencement speaker.

As she prepared her address, she had the main goal of positively impacting the graduates and guests. “I want to inspire people. I want people to know they can do this. If I can do it, so can you,” she said. “We’re all on the journey together, helping each other get to the next step and level.”

But she also acknowledged how surreal it was to return to the Dallas area, which was home to her family and served as a springboard for her worldwide call to service.

Her comeback was coming back to her hometown and speaking from the heart, saying the right words and making that impact.

“We all have seasons in our lives where we feel that we didn’t hit the mark. I’ve had a few of those seasons where I feel I didn’t hit the mark,” she said. “Comeback moments for me might not feel like comeback moments because I just get up and keep going. If I failed at something, there was a lesson to be learned. What did I learn from this? I didn’t fail — I learned. I always believe I can get back up.”

About Purdue Global

Purdue Global is Purdue’s online university for working adults who have life experience and often some college credits. It offers flexible paths for students to earn an associate, bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degree, based on their work experience, military service and previous college credits, no matter where they are in their life journey. Purdue Global is a nonprofit, public university accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and backed by Purdue University. For more information, visit https://stories.purdue.edu/purdue-global/. 

Writer/Media contact: Matthew Oates, oatesw@purdue.edu, 765-496-6160, @mo_oates

Source: Walda Collins