I moved to this area from Florida with my family in 2010. My husband suffered a severe back injury, and we felt it was in our best interest to move closer to family. After the move, I didn’t think I’d have any problems finding a job, but I was wrong. There were positions open, but I wasn’t being offered anything I was applying for. In Florida, I had years of experience managing three of a total of seven locations for a group of physicians, which was unusual because I didn’t have a degree. Then it dawned on me, the main quality I was missing, the only thing I could think of that was keeping me from being offered these positions, was a college education. That’s when I came to Gateway.
I knew that getting a college education was something I wanted but I wasn’t sure where to begin. I have three small children so I needed a school that would allow me to take online courses, classes that were convenient with my schedule, and something affordable. Gateway had everything to offer. I enrolled in the Gateway on-demand program, which allows me to take courses online and work at my own pace. This way, I am not missing out on quality time with my girls, and I can still manage to work full time.
I chose Business Administration for my major and through my Gateway connections pursued a co-op opportunity with Procter and Gamble. I’ve been working for them ever since! It has been tough to balance work, school, and a home life, but I manage to do it. These were the main reasons I was recommended to be featured in a textbook that is being released this year.
The book is called Working, 5edition. It teaches high school students about the value of higher education, career choices, co-ops and internships, hard work, dedication, and what it is like to have to learn to balance all aspects of life. I’ve truly enjoyed my experiences so far at Gateway and believe that it was through the supportive faculty and staff that I’ve been as successful as I have been. I was just recently inducted in the Phi Theta Kappa honor society and could not be more proud of what I’ve accomplished so far at Gateway.