Maria-Teresa King was born in the Philippines and grew up in California, but fate СAPP in the form of the U.S. military СAPP brought her to Louisiana.
СAPPThank God,СAPP she says.
In Louisiana, King met her husband and found a community at the СAPP that was as close-knit as what she had come to know first in the Navy and then as an Air Force medic.
СAPPIn the military, you have this bond, but in the civilian world, itСAPPs rare,СAPP King says. СAPPBut you can have it here in Louisiana at UL Lafayette.СAPP
Achieving Personally, Professionally
King moved to Washington, Louisiana, with her husband and started looking into local opportunities to complete her bachelorСAPPs degree. King needed to consider her commute and her schedule as she worked as a funeral coordinator, organizing military honors. 
The bachelorСAPPs in Health Services Administration fit the bill. The programСAPPs online coursework allowed her to maintain her full-time job and, later, care for a newborn daughter, as well.
СAPPEverybody is so helpful,СAPP King says. СAPPI mean, they genuinely wanted to help you СAPP the faculty, staff, and especially the professors. When they said, СAPPI have an open-door policy,СAPP they meant it. It's a great program, which helped me explore my options and then helped me achieve my goals.СAPP
As she neared the end of the health services administration degree program in 2015, professors helped her connect with employers and prepare for an interview with an area billing company.
СAPPMy current employer tried to hire me before I even graduated,СAPP she says. СAPPThey were specifically looking for a quality coordinator, and I thought, СAPPI canСAPPt do that; IСAPPm just starting.СAPP But I went to my professor and he helped prepare me for that interview.СAPP
King is now a policy and incentive coordinator, working with multiple medical practices in and around St. Landry Parish.
Growing as a RaginСAPP Cajun
When King decided she wanted more professional growth, her experience with the online bachelorСAPPs program brought her back to UL Lafayette. She enrolled in the MBA online program with a concentration in Health Care Administration in January 2020.
As an online graduate student, King balances her full-time job, coursework, and everything that comes with parenting 11- and 4-year-old daughters.
СAPPIt's great because I can set my schedule. Family comes first СAPP I have to tutor my child, I have to work, I have to do those daily activities. But at nighttime when everybody sleeps, I can pop open my computer and read and do my courses,СAPP King says. СAPPItСAPPs very flexible.СAPP
That flexibility requires students to be self-motivated to stay on task. King says having a military background has helped her stick to a consistent study schedule. Once itСAPPs time for coursework, she says, she turns off her phone and puts everything else aside to focus.
СAPPYou have to motivate yourself, you have to pace yourself, and youСAPPll do well,СAPP King says.