About Me
WIFE, MOM, GRANDMOTHER & EDUCATOR
Dr. Sonja K. Mitchell, began her creative journey into the literary world as a form of personal therapy. Her first novel, “Until It Happens To You: Journey of Understanding, Acceptance, Forgiveness and Love”, is a fictional depiction of her life, and has evolved into more than she could have ever imagined. “I had no idea that my own personal way of handling feelings of rejection, emotional abandonment, disappointment, and subtle encounters of abuse would make such a significant impact on the lives of others. Writing became my chosen form of personal therapy. Letters written in reaction to one situation or another (which were never mailed), and random thoughts on paper (that kept me from saying hurtful things out loud), eventually formed a novel that is reaching far beyond any level of expectation.”
Sonja lives by faith, forgiveness and love. “I firmly believe that the challenges we face are part of the blueprint of life. Our steps are ordered by God, and we must stay the course. He will move the mountains out of our way, if we ask; because only He has the power to give us the desires of our heart (Mark 11:22-26). And we must truly understand what it means to be patient, realizing that things happen in God’s time, not ours. Have FAITH, TRUST and BELIEVE!”
With a passion for education, Dr. Mitchell takes pride in the number of students and colleagues that she has touched during her 30-year career in academe. From undergraduate/graduate/professional students to colleagues, she has aided in the professional development of thousands, using her academic expertise and personal wisdom. “I have no problem sharing. What good does it do to keep it all inside? Especially when you feel in your heart that your life experiences might actually bless someone else. I guess that was the start of my personal transparency!”
Dr. Mitchell’s academic training spans from her undergraduate years at both Howard University and Saint Leo University (BA), to her professional studies at Hampton University (MBA) and Old Dominion University (PhD). Perhaps her most significant academic accomplishment is being one of the first African American females to be awarded the Doctor of Philosophy degree in Marketing/International Business (2000). With a heartfelt concern to understand the emotional needs of others, she is also Mental Health First Aid Certified (MHFA USA).
Dr. Mitchell has been invited to speak at academic and professional conferences, on topics that foster professional, educational, and personal development. Her book, “Until It Happens to You: Journey of Understanding, Acceptance, Forgiveness and Love”, has been selected by a number of book clubs across the country, giving her the opportunity to participate in discussions with groups on site and virtually. Along with her husband Tom E. Mitchell, she also welcomes the opportunity to share personal stories of perseverance to encourage, uplift and motivate others.
Dr. Sonja K. Mitchell was born in Washington, DC, and received most of her primary/secondary education in the public-school systems of Toledo, Ohio. Having recently retired from Hampton University as a Tenured Associate Professor of Marketing, she continues to reside in Hampton, Virginia with her husband, children and grandchildren.
What Readers Are Saying
Book Reviews
“Writing at this level of honesty requires insight, transparency, confidence, forgiveness, and faith.
“I obviously love this book. You will laugh you will cry and you have a hard time putting it down”.
“When I first picked it up, I thought I would just read a few pages, I couldn’t put it down”.