Never Too Late To Pursue (And Finance) Your Educational Dreams
Never Too Late To Pursue (And Finance) Your Educational Dreams
“I’ll be 50 years old in June and let me tell you – no one is ever too old to set a goal and reach it.” – Sheralina Baker
As a single mother of two children with a full time job, Sheralina Baker was already managing a lot of responsibilities, but she always knew there was more for her out there. She had a dream and a desire to advance her skillset.
In 2010, Sheralina earned her associate degree, which was the same year her son graduated from high school. This was just one step in her educational journey, though.
“After earning my associate degree, I looked at my daughter and said, ‘Wouldn’t it be great if we earned our bachelor’s degrees at the same time?’ and this inspired me to start thinking through what was next for me,” said Sheralina.
As an employee of Independence Blue Cross, Sheralina discovered their partnership with Peirce College where she would receive a tuition discount. This inspired her to want to learn more. “I knew a couple people who had attended Peirce College, plus the location was extremely convenient, and Peirce offers online classes, so when I heard about the additional tuition discount, I realized I was ready to go there,” explained Sheralina.
Once she started the application process, Sheralina quickly learned another benefit of attending Peirce College. “I was able to transfer in so many credits from my associate degree. My Enrollment Specialist wrote out what credits would transfer in, what classes I needed to take, and showed me my direct path to graduation. It was so helpful to see that finish line right away,” Sheralina said.
In her position as a Senior Issue Resolution Specialist, Sheralina has heard a lot about leadership and the benefits of developing those skills. She soon discovered Peirce offered an Organizational Leadership & Management program that would align with her career goals. Sheralina immediately enrolled in the program.
Sheralina said what she values the most about her Peirce education so far is the flexibility of the online classes and the feedback and engagement from the professors. She said, “During my associate degree, I would just receive a score and nothing else. At Peirce, the professors provide valuable feedback with the scores, so I can continue to learn and grow during my time in their class.”
As Sheralina committed to working hard in class, she also committed to funding her education in a savvy way. Sheralina explained, “I had a lot of loans from my associate degree, so combining my tuition discount with some scholarships was the best way to help fund my education.” One of the scholarships Sheralina applied for was the 2021 Paradigm Scholarship for Working Women presented by the Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia and to her surprise – she won!
“Winning this scholarship means I am able to finish my bachelor’s degree a little faster. I am so honored to be a recipient of this prestigious scholarship,” said Sheralina.
In alignment with her original inspiration, Sheralina’s daughter is also currently pursuing her bachelor’s degree. Thanks to this scholarship, they are now both aiming to graduate around the same time.
Congratulations to Sheralina on all of her successes so far!
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