校友 关注的焦点
特蕾西Alsup started her first college class 20 years after she graduated from high school. Little did she know she would earn multiple work promotions 和 an 工商管理硕士 – with honors – seven years later, 多亏了她的努力和决心.
2013年，特雷西开始在赫zing上课 医务室管理 (毛)幸运28计划, after caring for her family 和 working as a corrections officer at a state penitentiary in Mississippi for many years. She started at Herzing because she was ready for a change, but her husb和 of two decades died just days before classes started. 此后不久, 特蕾西也失去了她的嫂子, who was a retired educator 和 one of her greatest motivators.
“I was grieving 和 didn’t want to begin school at the time, 但我知道我丈夫不会让我辞职的特蕾西说。. “我用它作为 动机 to continue my education during a difficult time in my life. It truly helped me to stay focused 和 though I grieved, 我决心不要变得太沮丧.”
Tracy persevered 和 finished her associate degree in MAO in a couple of years. 她原计划在医院工作, but instead pursued an opportunity in the personnel department at the penitentiary. She started in an entry-level role but knew that a bachelor’s degree in a related field would help her advance.
特蕾西回到赫岑，参加了 工商管理理学学士学位 program, with a concentration in human resource development. Tracy took online courses so she could continue working full-time while earning her degree.
“在线 classes were a challenge at first, 和 I had to figure out a 良好的平衡特蕾西说。. “I learned the best way for me to manage my assignments was to work on them every weeknight. 下班回家后, I studied in my living or dining room for several hours so that I could take the weekends off. 在线学习给我的灵活性是关键.”
She graduated in 2017 和 was also promoted to a level II position at work. 特蕾西以为她不用再上学了, but after taking about a year off she decided to go back to Herzing for her 工商管理硕士. She enrolled in the online program with two goals in mind.
“My goals were to finish 和 to be an honor student特蕾西说。. “我知道这将是一个挑战, 但是要下定决心, 奉献, 自律和努力，我完成了这两个目标.”
As an undergraduate, Tracy had taken several master’s level courses as electives. Four of those classes were counted toward her 工商管理硕士 as part of Herzing’s dual credit offering, 给她一个有效的途径来完成 硕士学位.
Tracy completed the 工商管理硕士 program in 2020 和 was selected as the student speaker for Herzing’s virtual graduation ceremony during the COVID-19 p和emic. 她对她的孙子们特别地喊了一声, who encouraged her to go back for the 硕士学位.
“To my gr和children, I’m honored to say ‘Gr和ma got her hood!’”她在典礼上说. “致2020届毕业生, the p和emic doesn’t take away from the significance of this day in our lives or from what we have achieved.”
在监狱工作了17年之后, Tracy is now in a Level III role in the personnel department 和 plans to continue 一步步往上爬. She credits Herzing’s undergrad 和 工商管理硕士 programs for improving her written communication skills 和 advancing her level of professionalism, 这两点对她的事业都至关重要.
She hopes that her story might inspire others who are facing their own obstacles to keep going.
“I could have given up a long time ago, but I didn’t特蕾西说。. “I truly believe that a little faith 和 determination are the keys to success.”