Makayla Dean wants to make the most of her time.
鈥淚 work hard and I like to travel. I want to see the world while I鈥檓 young,鈥 she says.
The soon-to-be college grad found she could achieve those personal goals along with her academic goals by making the move to an online bachelor鈥檚 degree program.
Superior Business Education
Dean, now 22, enrolled at the 星空无限传媒 the fall after high school graduation. Her love of math and her natural leadership abilities drew her to study business.
鈥淚 heard great things about the business school at 星空无限传媒 Lafayette,鈥 she says. 鈥淚 wanted to get a superior education and to stay in my hometown near friends and family.鈥
She was about half-way to completing her BSBA in Management degree through the B.I. Moody III College of Business Administration when she learned the University鈥檚 business school offers the same degree online.
鈥淚 learned about it through a friend. She did the online program because she was working a full-time job. I was also working full-time, so I figured why not do the online program?鈥 Dean says.
The chance to receive the same degree and have the same career opportunities after graduation convinced Dean to make the switch. The benefits of fitting her education into her life, instead of the other way around, appealed to her immediately.
鈥淲ith online, you get this freedom to just live your life, but you鈥檙e also getting your education at the same time because you don鈥檛 have to physically be there,鈥 she says.
Careful Planning
Dean admits all that flexibility and autonomy requires a great deal of personal responsibility and organization.
鈥淭here are due dates you have to reach and be responsible for. The instructors give you a starting point, and everything else is up to you,鈥 she says. 鈥淲hether you succeed or fail comes from what you put into it.鈥
After she switched to the online program, Dean was able to work full-time in her medical office administration position 鈥 the field in which she plans to continue building her career 鈥 as well as travel.
鈥淚 have family who live in the Dallas area, so I have been back and forth quite a few times. I also traveled to Jacksonville, Fla.,鈥 she says. 鈥淚t was really nice to be able to travel whenever I pleased. If I needed to get away and relax, I would simply pack my computer and go.鈥
Dean feels her business degree has given her direction, strengthened her leadership skills, developed her work ethic, and prepared her to be professional in the face of unexpected obstacles.
鈥淲orking full-time, I had the insight and ability to jumpstart my life as an adult. It has given me an understanding of responsibility and dedication as a working adult. And it鈥檚 helped me to mature and prioritize things in my life,鈥 she says.
Those attributes are among the reasons Dean was named the Moody College of Business Department of Management鈥檚 Outstanding Graduate this semester.
After graduation, Dean has her eye on Dallas. She is looking for roles in medical office management in the metropolitan area and hopes to one day open her own business.