As a young, working mother and wife, Ayanna Abdullah was determined to do more by earning her degree. Originally looking into a bigger university, Ayanna found they didn’t have the programs or curriculum that aligned with her career plans.
After a fellow coworker recommended Peirce College, their alma mater, Ayanna began to look into what the College had to offer and quickly found her place.
“I started doing some research on Peirce College online and discovered the curriculum for the program I was interested in aligned with my goals,” said Ayanna. “I also realized Peirce would be a great fit as a mother and wife because of the option to do things both online and on campus.”
As Ayanna began to really take an interest in Peirce, she found out even more great news. As a member of 1199c district, Ayanna was able to receive a corporate partner tuition discount. All signs pointed to Peirce College, so Ayanna enrolled in the Associate in Science in General Studies program in 2015.
From One Degree to the Next
After working hard, she was able to complete her first degree in 2018, but she immediately knew she was not done yet. “I have a family full of individuals with their master’s and doctorate degrees. I knew it was important to follow in their footsteps to get to where I want to be, so I started my bachelor’s right after finishing my associate degree,” explained Ayanna.
“My son has been my inspiration through all of this. He has always driven me to want to do more.”
Transitioning seamlessly into Peirce’s Bachelor of Science in Organizational Leadership program, Ayanna found this degree path offered her the variety of skills, experience, and knowledge she was seeking. “What sold me on the Organizational Leadership program was all the different avenues you can take with this degree,” said Ayanna. “Human resources, leadership, corporate business, medical world, etc. are all covered within this degree path.”
As Ayanna went through the program, she gained even more than she initially thought possible. “In this program, I really got a better understanding of how organizations work, different techniques in the business world, unique leadership styles, how to communicate effectively, how to manage a team full of diverse individuals, and more,” Ayanna said. “The diversity within the classroom and within the lessons taught gave me a bigger outlook on how to operate an organization within a leadership role with
individuals from all different backgrounds and walks of life.”
Gaining More Than Just Classroom Knowledge
In addition to the valuable knowledge she gained from her classwork, Ayanna said one of the things she valued the most during her time with Peirce is the Walker Center for Academic Excellence. She explained, “The Walker Center has absolutely been the best experience for me. Working one-on-one with tutors got me through some of my toughest classes, such as statistics. I would come to campus again and again for appointments and my tutor always gave me the help and attention I needed to do well. The entire team was always patient, kind, and willing to help with whatever I needed.”
Now, as Ayanna quickly approaches the end of her bachelor’s degree journey, on track to complete her last class next month, Ayanna is still moving her educational goals forward thanks to her true inspiration. “My son has been my inspiration through all of this. He has always driven me to want to do more. That is why as of May 12th I will be starting in Peirce’s Master of Science in Organizational Leadership & Management program.”
While finishing her second degree and preparing to start her third, Ayanna continues to work hard as a Team Lead for Patient Registration at a health care facility. Her job consists of training employees, which is a place where she can take her classroom knowledge right into her line of work.
Congratulations to Ayanna as she finishes up her second degree in May and moves onto earning her third. Peirce College is proud to serve students like Ayanna who have a drive to do more each and every day.