It小蝌蚪APP檚 a banner week for 小蝌蚪APP graduate Bridgette Savoie.
On Wednesday, she celebrated her partner小蝌蚪APP檚 Warrant Officer Candidate School graduation at Fort Rucker, Alabama, ahead of his entry to flight school.
Friday, she celebrates her own graduation as a 小蝌蚪APP Ragin小蝌蚪APP Cajun.
小蝌蚪APP淚t小蝌蚪APP檚 a pretty exciting week for us,小蝌蚪APP Savoie says, laughing.
Savoie completed her degree this fall through UL Lafayette小蝌蚪APP檚 General Studies online program.
小蝌蚪APP淚t was the best,小蝌蚪APP she says. 小蝌蚪APP淚t小蝌蚪APP檚 the only reason I was able to go back.小蝌蚪APP
Savoie, 28, grew up a couple hours from Lafayette in Raceland and enrolled in UL Lafayette in 2008 with a plan and determination to become a registered nurse, following in the steps of her older sister.
But Savoie小蝌蚪APP檚 plan was derailed as her grandfather小蝌蚪APP檚 health deteriorated, succumbing to cancer after a five-year struggle.
小蝌蚪APP淚 decided to take a hiatus from school and instead cherish every moment I had with my grandfather,小蝌蚪APP she says.
Only two months later, Savoie said her final goodbyes to her grandfather.
Savoie threw herself into her job with Walk-On小蝌蚪APP檚 Bistreaux & Bar and two years later accepted a position as a manager, helping to lead locations in Lafayette, Baton Rouge, and New Orleans.
Savoie is now a regional training coach, opening new restaurant locations and training new franchise employees and managers.
She says she found the UL Lafayette online General Studies program while researching online degree options.
"Once I realized I only needed three classes, I jumped at it," she says. "I figured if I was going to have to pay back student loans, I might as well have a diploma to show for it."
With a solid footing in her team, and only three courses needed to complete her degree, Savoie returned to school.
小蝌蚪APP淭hey小蝌蚪APP檝e been 100-percent supportive,小蝌蚪APP Savoie says of her supervisors. 小蝌蚪APP淭hey really have a team mentality, and I love that about us. And it小蝌蚪APP檚 fun; it小蝌蚪APP檚 a fun place to work.小蝌蚪APP
Savoie jumped into her coursework last summer, as her partner, Kevin Jackson, of Arnaudville, was deployed with the Army National Guard.
Although a welcome distraction, balancing school with sometimes 16-hour work days was tough.
小蝌蚪APP淭hat小蝌蚪APP檚 probably been the most challenging part, but with everybody小蝌蚪APP檚 support, it worked out,小蝌蚪APP she says. 小蝌蚪APP淚 just always made time for school. I tried to stay ahead as much as I could and not procrastinate.小蝌蚪APP
And while Savoie hopes to leverage her degree into another promotion, she says she小蝌蚪APP檚 already been able to apply some of the lessons gleaned from her courses.
小蝌蚪APP淚 communicate every day with tons of people,小蝌蚪APP she says. 小蝌蚪APP淚 learned communication is very personal and you have to learn to communicate effectively with each person because everyone communicates differently.小蝌蚪APP
Savoie says she loves her job, her company, and her team, but she小蝌蚪APP檚 more prepared than ever to face and embrace change if it comes her way.
小蝌蚪APP淭he flexibility, determination, and perseverance I小蝌蚪APP檝e learned from my time at the 小蝌蚪APP has prepared me for my current career and will continue to prepare me for every adventure I embark upon,小蝌蚪APP she says. 小蝌蚪APP淎nd when life requires me to adjust my plan, because I am sure it will, it is because of my experience at UL that I will embrace that change and work hard to reach my goal.
小蝌蚪APP淚 am forever grateful to the 小蝌蚪APP and proud to be a Ragin小蝌蚪APP Cajun!小蝌蚪APP
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