Despite all the caps she wears, Yaunica Warren shuts down the stereotypes and determinedly makes the life for herself that she has always wanted.

Warren, a UCA senior, is a non-traditional college student who is two semesters away from earning a broadcast journalism degree that she started nearly a decade ago.

“I went to A-State my freshman year. After I realized I missed my mom more than I thought I would, I moved back home and earned my associate’s degree from Pulaski Tech,” Warren said.

Her first time on UCA’s campus was cut short when her husband lost his job in the oil field, and she was forced to go back to work full time.

“I was a dropout. As a transfer student, I did not have the resources that I needed to be properly guided through the situation, which eventually led me to being on financial aid suspension,” Warren explained.

She decided it was time for her next chapter after chain reactions started to occur.

“The day after everything with the divorce happened, I found out I was pregnant,” Warren said.

With the fact that she was now a newly independent woman and soon-to-be mother, Warren chose to move to Atlanta where her dad resided. She started handing out resumés.

Warren said a prayer to the Lord was answered when she landed a job with Warren media, which was called Turner Broadcasting at the time of her hire.

After five years on the job, COVID-19, without warning, ironically provided her with an opportunity that had the potential to push her life in the direction she had always wanted it to go.

“I know that COVID has brought a lot of suffering and devastation, for myself included, but it has also allowed me to pivot and make things possible as I was able to come back to UCA and fulfill requirements, fulfill a passion project of mine, provide a story to tell my child for inspiration one day,” Warren said.

Now back in Arkansas, Warren takes on the roles of a full-time mom, worker and student along with producing and anchoring on News 6 while maintaining the historian and secretary position for the student organization PRSSA.

Somewhere in between all those responsibilities, her personal fitness brand sprouted from the seams.

“I always kept myself in check with my health after I experienced the ‘freshman 15’ that my dad warned me about,” Warren said, mentioning that her father was the inspiration behind her brand.

“I got more into the training side last year during COVID after I gained some weight. I started working out from home and posted my progress. This is when women, moms, in particular, reached out asking for tips.”

Warren wants her fitness brand, Body by Yauny, to be a safe place for complete wellness that includes both physical and mental fitness. She wants to promote body positivity within an environment where a community can build each other up.

Once she secures her degree in May, developing an app for her fitness brand will be the next thing on the list.

Warren balances her various titles by staying focused.

“I make a list. I communicate with who I need to. Procrastination is not an option,” Warren said. 

Yaunica Warren is proof that labels are nothing but a thing to be proven wrong.