Julie Chambers was not a good student. Or so she thought.
Today the 51-year-old is 小蝌蚪APP渓iving the dream小蝌蚪APP as she pursues her Master of Science in Counseling at the 小蝌蚪APP, after attaining her bachelor小蝌蚪APP檚 degree in General Studies online.
Like many, although she had never pursued a college degree, Chambers had a full career.
She completed high school and immediately went into the workforce as a secretary at a radio station. From there, an opportunity arose to go into sales.
But she wasn小蝌蚪APP檛 happy. Sales had been lucrative for Chambers, but, she says, she didn小蝌蚪APP檛 have pride for what she did.
小蝌蚪APP淚 ended up doing really well because I小蝌蚪APP檓 a relationship builder, but I really did not like it so I was continually searching,小蝌蚪APP she says. 小蝌蚪APP淚t never occurred to me that I could go back to school. I was a 小蝌蚪APP榖ad student.'
小蝌蚪APP淚t小蝌蚪APP檚 not like I didn小蝌蚪APP檛 have a good work ethic or I wasn小蝌蚪APP檛 ambitious. I didn小蝌蚪APP檛 fit into the standardized testing stuff.小蝌蚪APP
Forging a New Career Path
Through volunteer work, Chambers homed in on counseling.
She wanted to help people and decided a two-year degree was 小蝌蚪APP渕anageable,小蝌蚪APP enrolling in a two-year addiction recovery program at an Austin, Texas, community college. Chambers did well, and her instructors encouraged her to enroll at a four-year institution to pursue a degree in counseling or social work.
As Chambers prepared to enroll at the 小蝌蚪APP of Texas at Austin, she began having health problems.
Over the course of several years, Chambers put school on hold as she focused on her health. The Crowley native moved back home in 2008.
When she felt like she was finding her footing again, Chambers again enrolled in community college courses, but, again, had to drop out because of health problems.
小蝌蚪APP淭hat was a lot of years,小蝌蚪APP she says. 小蝌蚪APP淚 didn小蝌蚪APP檛 know if I小蝌蚪APP檇 be able to work again.小蝌蚪APP
In August 2017, Chambers saw a counselor to "figure out what to do with (her) life." The counselor was a former UL Lafayette professor and told her about the Master of Counseling program.
As Chambers researched the program, she found UL Lafayette also offered an online bachelor's in general studies.
Finding Support
She filled out the online request form and soon heard back from the Online Student Support Team.
小蝌蚪APP淚 think I emailed the night before, and she responded next day,小蝌蚪APP Chambers says. 小蝌蚪APP淲e talked about it, and she was like, 小蝌蚪APP榶ou can totally do this; I can tell you小蝌蚪APP檙e motivated.小蝌蚪APP櫺◎蝌紸PP
From there, Dr. Gail Bonhomme, 小蝌蚪APP College, picked up the baton to not only get Chambers enrolled but keep her on track.
小蝌蚪APP淚 was in class the next Monday,小蝌蚪APP Chambers says. 小蝌蚪APP淭hey really got me in so fast and allowed it to happen.小蝌蚪APP
When Chambers小蝌蚪APP final semester included a Shakespeare class, Chambers felt like she might crumble under her schedule, but Dr. Bonhomme cheered her forward.
小蝌蚪APP淚t小蝌蚪APP檚 a different experience,小蝌蚪APP Chambers says. 小蝌蚪APP淐alling (flagship state universities), it is not as welcoming, and it helps with motivation when you feel like the school wants you to be there.小蝌蚪APP
Setting off for the Future
Chambers says because of her health and physical restrictions, hauling books to and across campus multiple days a week for a bachelor小蝌蚪APP檚 degree would have been taxing or even impossible.
But learning online meant she could create her own accommodations and schedule for when her energy was at its peak.
小蝌蚪APP淏eing online, I could make my own schedule so I could rest when I needed to. It was amazing,小蝌蚪APP she says. 小蝌蚪APP淚f you have other things going on 小蝌蚪APP work, family, pain, whatever 小蝌蚪APP it allows you to get it done.小蝌蚪APP
Chambers graduated Aug. 3, 2018. Two weeks later, she began the Fall 2018 semester as a graduate student in UL Lafayette小蝌蚪APP檚 Counseling Master小蝌蚪APP檚 program. She says she was able to enroll because she had time to grow physically and academically stronger while attaining her degree and gain the confidence she needed to pursue more advanced coursework.
Now, she小蝌蚪APP檚 looking to the future and envisions private practice.
小蝌蚪APP淢y health is good again so 小蝌蚪APP 51-years-old living the dream. It小蝌蚪APP檚 a good thing.小蝌蚪APP
Learn about how you can start working toward your career goals through one of the online degree programs at the 小蝌蚪APP by requesting more information today.