The screams of a baby’s first cry fill the small, sterile room. The sound echoes in Katie Denton’s head, her mind flashing back to the birth of her own newborn eight years ago; a day that was picture perfect. 

The memory fills her mind as she stands, now staring at a mother just like her through the lens of her camera. 

Women and gender studies senior Katie Denton, who described herself as a “jill of all trades,” faced an unexpected pregnancy at the age of 20. 

Years later, Katie has become a strong single mother, successful business owner and full-time student at Texas A&M. 

‘Mommy’s sidekick’ 

At 21, Katie gave birth to her now eight-year-old daughter, Zoey. She underwent gallbladder surgery, an emergency C-section and hospitalization due to septic infection during her pregnancy. The far-from-flattering experience forced Katie to put her life on hold to recover and take on a new responsibility: becoming a mother. 

“I’m really proud of her for standing up at the time she told me she was pregnant,” Katie’s mother Laura Denton said. “She was 19 or 20, and I was thinking, ‘This is my bubbly cheerleader who has no idea what this world’s all about.’ But she locked in, ‘I don’t care what anybody says, I’m going to have this baby.’ She stood up the second she found out she was going to be a mommy.”

What others might have found difficult to decide came easily to Katie. Despite her age, being raised by a single mother, Katie knew she too could create a beautiful life for her daughter.

“Zoey is her person,” Laura said. “Zoey is very strong, but she’s also mommy’s sidekick.” 

Katie’s efforts of creating a strong-willed atmosphere began as a stay-at-home mom during the first year until a separation from Zoey’s father left the determined mother desperate to find a way to provide for Zoey. Thus, her businesses were born. 

‘I had to provide’

After the separation, Katie knew she had to find a full-time job. Being raised in a home where the value of self-sufficiency was constantly instilled encouraged her to turn her photography, a long-loved hobby, into a full-force career. 

“I had Zoey, and a year and a half later, I found myself being a single mom,” Katie said. “I had left on my own and realized, ‘Oh my goodness, I have to do something full time.’ I had to provide for her. It wasn’t like it was just a fun hobby, anymore. I had to survive.” 

While beginning from necessity, Katie’s photography business has since blossomed into a passion she holds near and dear.

The growth of her business has allowed Katie to find a niche that allows her to become a part of a couple’s most vulnerable moment: the birth of their child. 

Katie’s role as a mother led her to cherish the moments and stories she’s able to tell through her photography. While she remains photographing an array of subjects, Katie’s passion lies in the documentation of a couple’s journey. 

“A lot of times, I prefer to grow with my family because when I photograph their maternity, they feel safe for me to photograph their birth, and then they feel even safer for me to photograph after birth,” Katie said. “If there’s anything I can do to support a mama’s healing, I hope my photography can be a part of that journey.” 

The doors opened by Katie’s initiative continue to stand tall as she faces new opportunities.  

‘Before you know it, she had a hundred dresses’

Despite her growing photography business, Katie’s drive for a secure future led her on yet another adventure. 

In 2017, Katie placed an entry to become part of a travelling dress project, a contest where 12 artists would be selected to photograph a dress that travels across the world. Despite a lack of experience, Katie had the utmost confidence, until her hopes were crushed when her entry was not selected.

But, she did not let this setback discourage her. Instead, she decided she would create a travel dress of her own. 

“She had moved in with me after she had Zoey, and she was thinking about the dress rentals,” Laura said. “She orders her first dress and it’s like a thousand bucks. I’m like, ‘Have you lost your mind? What are you thinking?’ But, it was paid for in two months because she rents them out for $250. Before you know it, she had a hundred dresses.”

Her personal investment not only broke even, but quickly brought in revenue. After numerous inquiries on if the dress would return, Katie decided to turn a one-time profit into another successful business. 

“The thing about my traveling dress was that anybody could do it,” Katie said. “It didn’t matter what you look like, what your photos look like. I wanted it to feel welcoming versus how unwelcomed I felt when I didn’t get the position the year before. I ended up investing in about 15 to 20 dresses at that time, and now I have over 100 in circulation.” 

The business has sent Katie’s dresses across the globe from Guam to Japan, even shocking her when one of her dresses landed on the cover of Vogue. 

Despite the success of her businesses, Katie remained determined to chase her ultimate dream of wearing Aggie gold come this fall.

‘I just want my Aggie ring’ 

In 2022, five years after giving birth to Zoey, Katie knew it was time for a change. She would continue her education, a decision that led her to the heart of College Station. 

“My stepmom had a dad who graduated ‘62 and he used to take me to all the games,” Katie said. “He instilled a lot of the core values into what being a true Aggie is. When I decided I wanted to go back to school, I wanted to make sure that I was an Aggie because I followed all those core values.”  

Having always instilled A&M’s core values, Katie’s determination also stemmed from attaining her Aggie bling. 

“I had an incredible first advisor,” Katie said. “She sat down with me and she was like, ‘Katie, what do you want to do?’ And I’m like ‘I just want my Aggie ring.’ My advisor told me, ‘You’re at one of the best universities. You have to utilize the education.’ And so she guided me into women and gender studies and I wholeheartedly have loved every minute of it.”

As a women and gender studies major, Katie is able to develop a deeper understanding of the clients she works with, and of course, near that 90-hour threshold. 

But her education doesn’t come without a cost. While Katie’s bi-weekly, three-hour commutes to Aggieland have worked in her favor, concerns arose at the initial opportunity.

“I was so excited for her because she loves A&M, she is an Aggie girl and has been forever,” Laura said. “But I was also worried, too, because she’s a single mom. She was on her own. I wasn’t going to say no, because Katie is a go-getter; you don’t hold her back. I was very excited, but I was worried, too.”

Thankfully, Laura’s worries were quickly put to rest as Katie found her College Station groove. For the past two and a half years, Katie has completed bi-weekly commutes to Aggieland, leaving her daughter under the care of her mother. After years of trial-and-error, Zoey is now a part of a home schooled community, allowing for a convenient schedule for all parties involved. 

Not only has she found a healthy balance, but A&M has helped Katie develop new goals as she explores different avenues of education, including research and the possibility of graduate school. 

“She’s changed her mindset about her future,” Laura said. “She loves photography and is amazing at it, but long term as a mom and a professional, she’s looking at being able to teach. I’ve seen her grow mentally, and now she is looking at a higher level professionally, as to what she wants to do with her life.” 

Katie wants to teach and share empowerment throughout campuses in hopes that her story may be ever evolving. 

“She’s a boss mom,” Laura said. “She’s like that little engine that could; like a massive locomotive that’s pulling these cars to being mommy and being a full-time student. She has all this stuff, she’s taking care of it all, but she’s still moving forward.” 

Despite the obstacles, Katie’s life is one that could only be survived by strong willpower and a long line of support standing behind her. 

“Without the support of my mom and aunt, it just wouldn’t be possible for me to complete everything,” Katie said. “Without them, truly there’d be no way.”

Without continuous support Katie wouldn’t be the mother, business owner and soon-to-be Aggie ring wearer that she is today. She may have many accomplishments under her belt, but her story is truly far from finished. 

“All you have is right now because you’re only guaranteed today,” Katie said. “So, if you have this really big idea and you’re really excited about it, just do it. That’s what I live by.”