For many, going back to school is an opportunity for career advancement.
For others, it小蝌蚪APP檚 to acquire new knowledge and skills.
And for some, it小蝌蚪APP檚 purely personal.
That小蝌蚪APP檚 true for Cheri Landry Vallery, who graduated from the Bachelor of General Studies online program today at the age of 60.
Landry Vallery first enrolled in a bachelor小蝌蚪APP檚 degree program in 1982 at the 小蝌蚪APP of Southwestern Louisiana, 17 years before the 小蝌蚪APP would adopt its current name.
Like most, she was an eager 18-year-old, hoping to finish her degree in four years and call it a done deal.
But life got in the way.
She took a year off in the middle of her studies before returning to finish her program out; then, after marrying and getting pregnant with her first child, she left again, this time indefinitely.
Despite having a family and career, not finishing always bothered Landry Vallery.
In the late 1990s, her family relocated to Houston, Texas, ruling out the possibility of completing her degree at the 小蝌蚪APP for good 小蝌蚪APP until the 小蝌蚪APP小蝌蚪APP檚 Bachelor of General Studies degree program launched online.
小蝌蚪APP淣ot finishing was one thing I always regretted,小蝌蚪APP she said. 小蝌蚪APP淲hen the online program first started, I got an email about it and decided not to do it then, and then more recently, I got another email. I just said, 小蝌蚪APP楽crew it,小蝌蚪APP and reached out to see what it would take to finish.小蝌蚪APP
Finishing the Story
Finishing her degree at the 小蝌蚪APP at which she started it was important to Landry Vallery.
With several passion projects and a full-time job, she found that the online program afforded her flexibility she needed to do so.
She runs a small business alongside two friends, hosting and planning retreats for people who enjoy crafting and scrapbooking. She also operates a foundation honoring her daughter, who she and her husband lost to drug abuse at 16.
小蝌蚪APP淚t小蝌蚪APP檚 called the Kaitlyn Vallery Foundation,小蝌蚪APP Landry Vallery says. 小蝌蚪APP淜aitlyn had a drug problem, and whenever she was in the hospital, I promised Kaitlyn that I小蝌蚪APP檇 do whatever I could to help any other family or individual not go through this.小蝌蚪APP
In support of the foundation小蝌蚪APP檚 mission, Landry Vallery and her husband speak to local schools to share Kaitlyn小蝌蚪APP檚 story and give scholarships to local high school students who have overcome adversity.
小蝌蚪APP淭hat is 100% our passion,小蝌蚪APP she says. 小蝌蚪APP淚 wouldn小蝌蚪APP檛 wish losing a child on my worst enemy. It小蝌蚪APP檚 something that changes you forever.小蝌蚪APP
As a former accounting major, Landry Vallery built a career using and applying her previous business coursework. Currently, she小蝌蚪APP檚 a bookkeeper/accountant for a homebuilder in Houston.
小蝌蚪APP淚 do all the things that I would do with an accounting degree without having one,小蝌蚪APP she says.
Thus, coursework in other areas, like CJUS 420: Drugs & Crime and GEOL 106: Earth History, posed a challenge for Landry Vallery upon returning to finish her bachelor小蝌蚪APP檚 degree online, forcing her to step outside of her comfort zone.
She took that challenge in stride, earning straight As by spending Sunday mornings locked away in her office, head down, working on her assignments.
小蝌蚪APP淵ou have to just make school a priority, and that小蝌蚪APP檚 what I did every Sunday morning from 7 to 11,小蝌蚪APP she says. 小蝌蚪APP淚小蝌蚪APP檓 a schedule-type person to begin with, so having something planned to where that小蝌蚪APP檚 what I needed to do worked great.小蝌蚪APP
Looking Ahead
Though Landry Vallery is nearing retirement age, she小蝌蚪APP檚 still thinking about how she can continue her education.
She小蝌蚪APP檚 got her eyes set on the 小蝌蚪APP小蝌蚪APP檚 MBA program online. She hopes to enroll in the Human Resources Management concentration in 2025.
It would all still be just for fun, of course.
小蝌蚪APP淢y next career change is going to be retirement,小蝌蚪APP says Landry Vallery. 小蝌蚪APP淚小蝌蚪APP檓 taking the rest of the year off school, just to get my life back in order. And then I小蝌蚪APP檇 say it小蝌蚪APP檚 about an 80% chance I小蝌蚪APP檒l come back and do the MBA.小蝌蚪APP
In the meantime, Landry Vallery encourages students to follow in her footsteps and pursue their personal goals.
小蝌蚪APP淚f it小蝌蚪APP檚 something you want to do, there shouldn小蝌蚪APP檛 be any excuses,小蝌蚪APP she says. 小蝌蚪APP淵ou小蝌蚪APP檒l always be able to say you don小蝌蚪APP檛 have time, but you do. You just have to make it.小蝌蚪APP
Achieve your goals and put your existing credits to use by pursuing your bachelor小蝌蚪APP檚 degree online.