“UoPeople Is Helping Me Advance My Career While Raising a Family,” Says Business Administration Student, Esther C.

For Esther C., returning to college is about taking the next step in a career she has built through years of practical experience. A Texas-based professional, wife, and mother of three, Esther is pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration at University of the People while working full-time and raising her family.

Esther grew up in a family of seven in the Sacramento, California, area, where faith played an important role in her upbringing. Although she attended some college after high school, she did not initially focus on completing a degree. Instead, she chose a practical path that allowed her to begin working and build a career.

She attended massage therapy school, which she was able to afford independently, and worked as a massage therapist for two years. She later moved into bookkeeping, discovering an aptitude for the work that would shape her professional future.

Over the years, Esther built a successful career with only a handful of college credits. However, as she advanced professionally, she began to feel that not having a degree was limiting her opportunities for further growth.

“I have done well in my career with only a few college credits, but I definitely feel now I have reached a ceiling and can no longer expand without a college education,” she explains.

Esther had considered higher education before, but family responsibilities and other priorities meant that completing a degree remained unfinished business. She first enrolled at UoPeople in 2015 and continued studying until 2018, when she took a break after having her first child. After welcoming another child in 2020, she extended that break to focus on her growing family.

“When I recently returned to my studies, I was delighted to discover I could transfer credits to UoPeople. I transferred seven credits from a junior college I had attended years earlier, and I found the process straightforward. I would absolutely recommend transferring credits to other students. Nobody should waste their previous college experience,” she shares.

Her decision to study at UoPeople was also encouraged by her father, who had built a career as a certified public accountant before returning to school in retirement to become a family psychologist. After researching UoPeople, Esther felt encouraged to pursue her degree, especially after her father supported her decision.

Since returning, Esther has appreciated the flexibility of studying remotely while balancing her professional and family responsibilities.

Today, Esther works full-time while caring for her three children with the support of her husband. Being able to work remotely helps her manage her responsibilities, but fitting everything into her schedule still takes effort. She focuses on work during the day, spends the early evening with her children, and turns to her coursework after they have gone to bed.

Her motivation is closely connected to her family. Esther hopes to complete her bachelor’s degree before her oldest daughter graduates from high school. Her daughter has already expressed interest in studying at UoPeople, a prospect Esther welcomes with a touch of humor.

“My wallet likes the sound of that!” she says.

Esther is also looking beyond her bachelor’s degree. She hopes to pursue a master’s degree while her daughter works toward her own bachelor’s, turning education into something they can experience alongside one another.

Outside of work and school, Esther prioritizes making memories and building traditions with her children. She also enjoys gardening and cooking and has a background in singing and theater.

For Esther, earning her degree is an opportunity to build on the career she has already established and open up possibilities for the future. By returning to college while working full-time and raising three children, she is showing her family that learning and professional growth can remain priorities at every stage of life.