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Debt Free in Jamaica

What PathwayConnect helped Trevon do changed his life in ways he never thought possible

Trevon Morris listened intently as Sister Wege, a local service missionary, bore her testimony about the benefits of BYU-Pathway Worldwide .

As she concluded her remarks, Trevon wondered if BYU-Pathway was right for him. He frowned, thinking about the expensive university tuition in his hometown of Kingston, Jamaica, and the 800,000 dollar (roughly $6,000 USD) debt he still owed. He slumped in his seat as the helplessness he felt consumed him.

Trevon wanted to attend a university, but he couldn’t afford it. He didn’t know what to do. As he pondered these things, a feeling came to him. It told him, “BYU-Pathway is exactly what you have been looking for, Trevon. Go for it.”

What Trevon learned in BYU-Pathway helped him overcome a difficult financial problem

When he heard about BYU-Pathway, Trevon was struggling to pay off a large debt. His family struggled with many health challenges, and over the years, Trevon had borrowed money in an attempt to support them. Taking out loans had been his tactic to stay afloat, but after a while, he began to feel like he was drowning.

Trevon Morris with his wife and two children
Trevon with his wife, Charmayne, and two children

Even though he did not know if he could fully pay the tuition price, Trevon decided to follow the prompting he received and enroll. Little did he know that through his classes, he would learn to overcome his debt and regain control of his finances.

“BYU-Pathway gave me a new perspective financially,” explained Trevon. “During the courses, I learned how to create a proper budget — something our family never had before. I learned to recognize the financial leaks that were hurting us and how to plug them up.”

Trevon and his family learned to manage and save their money. They even began paying extra toward their debt. Slowly, they overcame their financial crisis. Where once Trevon looked at five years of debt payments, after a few months in BYU-Pathway, he reduced that time to less than one year. “I wouldn’t have been able to rise above that financial issue without what I learned in my life skills course,” Trevon said.

The knowledge Trevon gained helped him when something awful approached Jamaica

Hurricane Matthew
Hurricane Matthew passed by Jamaica in early October 2016. Because of the lessons Trevon learned in BYU-Pathway, he was able to save money while others spent on storm precautions.

Trevon’s newfound financial knowledge helped him when Hurricane Matthew approached Jamaica in October 2016. While thousands of people raced to stores in panic and spent excessive money, Trevon remembered a lesson he was taught to avoid emotional spending. He and his wife decided against buying anything, but instead waited until the storm passed.

“In the end, the storm didn’t come,” Trevon laughed. “We still had the money to provide for ourselves. And it’s all because we learned how to be emotionally in control when spending money.”

Trevon continued learning, and was offered a new opportunity

Getting out of debt wasn’t the only benefit Trevon gained from BYU-Pathway. He has seen many career improvements as well.

After completing the first year of foundational courses, known as PathwayConnect, Trevon continued to earn his online degree through BYU-Idaho . During his first semester, he took Math for the Real World , a class centered on applying math principles in daily life. “I began to see what bad investments are and what kinds of things make good investments,” he said.

This ability proved useful in his work on a web development team for the Jamaican government. One day, Trevon’s boss presented a new project for the company. “Normally, I wouldn’t have said anything,” said Trevon, “but because of what I learned, I could understand the numbers and see that what my boss was saying was not logically possible — it would be a bad investment. So I told him if we did it that way, the organization would lose money.”

Trevon’s boss listened to his explanation and decided that Trevon should lead the project. He had one year to develop twelve different websites, but thanks to the lessons he learned in BYU-Pathway about efficiency, Trevon completed the project in just three months.

After that, Trevon was promoted to a new position as senior web developer. He experienced the professional success that comes through getting an education.

Trevon with his PathwayConnect group at a local gathering in his hometown of Kingston, Jamaica
Trevon (top) with his PathwayConnect group at a local gathering in his hometown of Kingston, Jamaica

Trevon’s BYU-Pathway experience helped him see something that changed his life forever

After all his experiences, Trevon has gained a better understanding of what he can achieve with his education.

“My life vision is much more clear,” said Trevon. “I see what I want my future to become — financially free, making good investments, and preparing to buy my own land and build a house without borrowing any money.”

Now, Trevon works to provide himself and his family a better future. Empowered by the lessons he learned in his online courses, he recently started his own small company so he could start working for himself and be more independent.

Trevon credits much of his success to BYU-Pathway for starting him on a life-changing academic journey. For Trevon, the feelings of helplessness have disappeared, and his future looks brighter every day. “If I could do it, anyone can do it. The future I envisioned for myself isn’t just a goal anymore, it is becoming more and more a reality.”

Just like with Trevon, the programs offered through BYU-Pathway Worldwide can help you start a path toward financial independence Wand better career opportunities.

Learn more about the programs available for you at byupathway.org .