Though Laura Foote-Leedy had received a number of substantial promotions during her nursing career, she came to see that not having a bachelor’s degree would soon make her ineligible for management positions.
Even so, Laura assumed it might be impossible for her to pursue a bachelor’s degree; she suspected the cost likely would be prohibitive. She was surprised to learn otherwise.
“When I first met with Huntington EXCEL staff, they assured me that they would make it happen for me,” Laura says. “They told me not to let a lack of funds stop me because they would work it out.” The staff did help Laura figure out how to pay for for her classes. “I was amazed at the level of helpfulness!” she says.
Experiencing the EXCEL Program with a small group of individuals led to a strong sense of camaraderie, which Laura enjoyed. “The small group made me more comfortable expressing myself. I could see everyone’s confidence rise,” she says. “In my career to date, I had been relatively insulated. It was enlightening to get viewpoints from my fellow classmates, whose experiences came out of business and industry, missionary work, and home schooling.”
She adds: “I felt lucky to have my classes taught by full-time professors and well-credentialed experts working in the field. They were always well prepared and related business theory to real-world experiences. I focused on learning as much as I could. I concentrated on one class, one assignment at a time. That way it didn’t seem overwhelming.”