USA Today honors Reno student

Friday, Feb. 7, 1997 | 11:59 a.m.

Melanie Watkins had plenty of excuses not to succeed.

She gave birth to her son before she finished high school. She married and divorced before age 20. No one in her family had ever gone to college. Money, opportunities and free time are not plentiful for single mothers of 2-year-old boys.

But for her efforts, USA Today will award the University of Nevada, Reno junior a trophy and $2,500 in a ceremony today for daring to succeed.

"It's hard but you can't use having a baby as an excuse to not pursue your goals, or set goals," Watkins said.

Watkins was named to the 1997 All-USA College Academic First Team. Winners were chosen through a process that whittled the field of 1,235 undergraduate nominees now to 20.

She plans to attend medical school after she obtains her health sciences degree at UNR. With a 3.8 grade point average, she stands a good chance of achieving her goal to become an obstetrician/gynecologist.

"Being a single mother has made me more motivated to focus on my goals, because I have do do it for myself and Jonathan for us to have a better life," Watkins said.

Having maintained an impressive academic record, Watkins has received enough scholarship funds to allow her to concentrate on her studies, when she's not caring for her son.

As a prospective OB/GYN, Watkins opines that "perhaps I can do something to help lower the teen pregnancy rate."