Earning a degree fresh out of high school isn小蝌蚪APP檛 the path everyone takes.
That小蝌蚪APP檚 true for Clarence Chapman, who earned his B.S.B.A. in Management online in May at the age of 32. 小蝌蚪APP淚 went to another university for a semester out of high school,小蝌蚪APP Chapman says. 小蝌蚪APP淏eing young, it wasn小蝌蚪APP檛 really for me. I had my mind on other stuff, like working.小蝌蚪APP
Although stepping away from school allowed Chapman to start earning a full-time income earlier than most, he found with time that not having a degree meant his career had little direction.
小蝌蚪APP淚 coach basketball at Centerville High School, and the coach I was working under once, Montrelle Taylor, he graduated from UL Lafayette,小蝌蚪APP Chapman recalls. 小蝌蚪APP淗e told me, 小蝌蚪APP榊ou know, you小蝌蚪APP檝e been telling me how your jobs have been, and I think you should go back to school.小蝌蚪APP櫺◎蝌紸PP
With that advice, Chapman小蝌蚪APP檚 journey began.
Gaining a Fresh Perspective
In late 2019, Chapman enrolled at to complete his associate degree in business.
After finishing his program there, he took advantage of the 2+2 Transfer Pathway between SoLAcc and UL Lafayette. Through the pathway, students who earn an associate degree from SoLAcc can apply all 60 credits earned there toward their business degree at UL Lafayette.
Entering the online management program, Chapman had experience in management roles, including as an assistant store manager at Dollar General, but his management courses offered a fresh perspective on both his and his supervisors小蝌蚪APP work.
小蝌蚪APP淭here小蝌蚪APP檚 so much more to management than what I previously thought,小蝌蚪APP he says. 小蝌蚪APP淭here小蝌蚪APP檚 HR, there小蝌蚪APP檚 scheduling, there小蝌蚪APP檚 leadership, there小蝌蚪APP檚 finance. Now, when I look at my current supervisor in my data entry job, Jeffery Beverly, I can appreciate everything he does. I feel like he fits every quality of what I小蝌蚪APP檝e learned in my classes.小蝌蚪APP
小蝌蚪APP淚 think back now to when I was a manager at Dollar General, and I understand it better. As a manager, you can小蝌蚪APP檛 be rude to people; you have to be both firm and friendly. And you also have to consider all these other business factors.小蝌蚪APP
One of Chapman小蝌蚪APP檚 favorite classes was MGMT 445: Digital Business, taught by Dr. Ron Cheek, associate professor of management.
The class examines the key elements of conducting business digitally.
小蝌蚪APP淔or one assignment, we had to make our own web page,小蝌蚪APP Chapman says. 小蝌蚪APP淚t was just amazing how Dr. Cheek helped me. When I had questions, he was there for a Zoom call. He really pushed me.小蝌蚪APP
Overcoming Challenges
Though being an online student 小蝌蚪APP both at SoLAcc and UL Lafayette 小蝌蚪APP made school convenient for Chapman, it didn小蝌蚪APP檛 make the work any less challenging.
Chapman particularly struggled with MGMT 382: Operations Management. He was originally set to graduate in Fall 2023, but four courses and a job on top of MGMT 382 proved to be a lot.
小蝌蚪APP淭he course for me was just really mind-blowing,小蝌蚪APP he says. 小蝌蚪APP淚t blended a lot of business with statistics. I had a hard time grasping the concepts.小蝌蚪APP
So, he delayed his graduation by a semester to focus on the course by itself and visited The Learning Center for additional support.
小蝌蚪APP淭he tutor I worked with, Zoe LeBoeuf, was great,小蝌蚪APP he says. 小蝌蚪APP淪he broke everything down so well. With each exam, I just did better and better. It felt really good.小蝌蚪APP
Finding Community & Support
Being an online student at UL Lafayette didn小蝌蚪APP檛 stop Chapman from immersing himself in the college experience that he previously missed out on.
He purchased the Campus Connection Plan each semester, giving him access to the 小蝌蚪APP小蝌蚪APP檚 recreation center and to campus activities like Intramural Sports.
小蝌蚪APP淚t was nice to be able to do some of the college activities 小蝌蚪APP going to football games, playing rec sports 小蝌蚪APP while working and doing what I needed to do,小蝌蚪APP he says. 小蝌蚪APP淭he guys on my intramural basketball team would be surprised when I小蝌蚪APP檇 tell them I was in my 30s!小蝌蚪APP
And Chapman found a study partner in his sister, who小蝌蚪APP檚 working toward her degree online at another university. The two often completed their schoolwork together, bouncing ideas for their assignments off each other.
小蝌蚪APP淭here was a moment where I thought I wasn小蝌蚪APP檛 going to graduate,小蝌蚪APP he says. 小蝌蚪APP淢y mom would always tell me, 小蝌蚪APP楽on, it小蝌蚪APP檚 going to be okay. You just have to find your way, figure things out, and give it time.小蝌蚪APP櫺◎蝌紸PP
Looking Ahead
Now that he小蝌蚪APP檚 finished, Chapman is already thinking about what小蝌蚪APP檚 next 小蝌蚪APP and encouraging the students he coaches to do the same.
Attending Commencement alongside graduate business students in the 小蝌蚪APP小蝌蚪APP檚 MBA program and M.S. in Accounting program, he felt inspired to one day be one of them.
小蝌蚪APP淪eeing those black gowns and hoods 小蝌蚪APP I know if I pushed myself through my bachelor小蝌蚪APP檚 I can do the same for my master小蝌蚪APP檚,小蝌蚪APP he says. 小蝌蚪APP淚 want to go back to earn my MBA now.小蝌蚪APP
小蝌蚪APP淚 always tell the kids I coach that it小蝌蚪APP檚 OK if you want to get into the workforce, but you have to get an education. Whether it小蝌蚪APP檚 online, on campus, I don小蝌蚪APP檛 care. Just get an education.小蝌蚪APP
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