8 minute read
A balancing act
For eleven years, Andrea McLendon ’20 was determined to earn her bachelor’s degree despite obstacles that kept getting in her way. During her academic journey, this wife and mother to five children battled cancer while working full-time as a supervisor and coach in the service department at GEICO. Having previously studied biology at Fort Valley State University, she transferred to Wesleyan’s online business degree program* as a junior and changed her major to business administration. Some of her credits didn’t transfer, but she was able to finish her degree in just eighteen months. With assistance from Online Academic Advisor Shara Veda and Wesleyan’s association with Acadeum (formerly College Consortium), Andrea found equivalent classes online at other schools when Wesleyan was not offering what she needed to stay on track in her program.
She says her husband and children kept her motivated. “I wanted to get my degree to show my daughters that even though life gives you some harsh realities, you can change the trajectory of your life. You still can choose to be great. My mother has always told me that you can change anything above six feet, meaning if you’re not dead and buried, it’s never too late.”
Andrea credits Associate Professor of Accounting Kara Kostiuk for guiding her to not be afraid to speak up or voice her opinions - to stand strong in her truth and never be ashamed of the setbacks that made Andrea the person she is today. “By participating in group projects, I learned that everyone has a different way of learning and that I can get my point across while not making the other person feel wrong or inferior. I also learned about sisterhood - you don’t have to be blood to be family.”
Andrea is a fighter who is determined to be the best version of herself. “Everything I do in life is for the betterment of my family and to show my daughters how to be a strong woman, how to stand for who you are, and how to take accountability for everything you do.”
To other women who are balancing family, work, and school Andrea says, “It doesn’t matter how smart you are but how determined you are and how much you want it and are willing to push past everything and everyone to go for it. No excuses, just solutions.”
* Wesleyan offers 100% online degree programs in business, accounting, and applied psychology. “I wanted to get my degree to show my daughters that even though life gives you some harsh realities, you can change the trajectory of your life. You still can choose to be great. My mother has always told me that you can change anything above six feet, meaning if you’re not dead and buried, it’s never too late.”
Andrea’s rock and support system is her husband Charles. Her children are 10-year-old Kimmari, Charlysia 4, Genese, 3, Analiyah 2, and Charles who is a newborn.
Motivation leads to success
In January 2015, Mary Harper ’21 from Rayle, Georgia, the mother of three beautiful little girls and a son who was less than a year old, was working at a local restaurant a few nights a week and focusing on raising her children. She had taken courses at Georgia Southern University right after high school, but says she was not prepared for college at the age of eighteen. Sixteen years later, at the age of thirty-four, Mary was ready to continue her academic journey at Wesleyan College. For a while, she continued to work while attending school, serving as an office manager and waiting tables when she had available childcare. During her second year at Wesleyan, she had another son. “I’ve had to learn what to prioritize and how to balance work and being a mom, a wife, and a student. I still question myself every single night on decisions I made that day. I’ve also had to learn how to show myself grace, which is way easier said than done.”
In May, Mary graduated cum laude with majors in history and religious studies. For the first time in her children’s lives, she is a stay-at-home mom and plans to begin Wesleyan’s master’s program in industrialorganizational psychology in the fall to prepare for a career in human resources.
“I cannot say enough about the amazing staff and faculty that have provided me with the encouragement and support I needed more than they knew, especially during my manic moments of doubt and frustration that usually happen around the end of each semester when EVERYTHING is due.” Mary credits several people for their support including “Dr. Steneck (associate professor of history) for his unwavering patience and pragmatism that kept me grounded, Dr. Donovan (professor of political science) for the solid critical thinking skills and for always having my back, Dr. Bray (assistant professor of religious studies and philosophy) for the invaluable life counsel and theology that you can’t find in books, Dr. Schwaller (assistant professor of religious studies) for being a shining light and a true example of grace, and Dean (of students) Henry for never letting me slip through the crack that I was always trying to slide myself into. Lastly, to all of them - thank you for seeing something in me that I couldn’t even see in myself.”
Mary says the best advice she can give to other moms is to know that it’s normal to feel overwhelmed and it’s okay to be unsure if you’re giving enough time to each role. “Remember that you are not alone. Being a mama is hard. Building a career is stressful. Balancing that with school seems impossible, but you’ve got this!”
Mary’s motivators include her husband Marco, and her children Kambry 12, Kayden 10, Korben 8, Knox 6, and Knight 5.
Life after graduation
FromHERE toCAREERFromHERE toCAREERFromHERE toCAREER
LAST YEAR’S
CLASS OF 2020
WAS THE FIRST
TO COMPLETE ALL
FOUR YEARS
UNDER THE PLAN.
Wesleyan College’s class of 2020 was the first to complete all four years of the signature From Here to Career program. Led by the Center for Career Development (CCD), From Here to Career ensures that undergraduate students engage with career development and exploration throughout all four years of their undergraduate experience. In addition to meeting the general education and subject requirements for their major(s) and minor(s), all undergraduate students are required to complete a professional practice seminar and a professional development experience (PDE) prior to graduation. Nursing and education majors are exempt from these requirements since experiential learning is already a major component of their curriculum.
Wesleyan College students engage in career exploration beginning in their first semester. They complete a Focus2 assessment in WIS 110: Transition to College and are encouraged to attend events hosted by the CCD. The sophomore year is the ideal time for exploration. During this time, students are encouraged to consider potential career paths and identify opportunities to build their skills and to add to their resumes. Most students are eligible to complete their professional development experience by the beginning of their junior year. The four experience categories include an internship, research, a performance or exhibit, and a leadership experience that develops civic/community engagement. Every PDE must have three specific learning outcomes and a strategy for achieving each. In addition to the PDE, the professional practice seminar allows students to explore important topics that are relevant to their life after graduation. Topics include career decisionmaking strategies, professional communication in job and graduate school applications, and financial literacy. With this training, students feel more prepared to enter into
their senior year with the tools they need to finalize their post-graduation plans.
In addition to approving all PDEs and providing one-on-one appointments, the CCD also holds events each semester that are open to all Wesleyan students. Throughout the 202021 academic year, the CCD hosted a series of alumnae panels and career conversations, giving students the opportunity to interact with alumnae and talk about various aspects of post-undergraduate life. Most events were held virtually, which allowed Wesleyan graduates from across the country to participate, and all were recorded so that they could be viewed by those who were not in attendance.
The career conversations and panels spotlighting humanities majors, exploring careers in business, and offering a “real talk” discussion have enabeled students to see Wesleyan’s liberal arts mission come to life. The alumnae participants have been great examples of not being confined to one specific career path after graduation, and students learned that they will collect experiences that allow them to grow, develop, and pivot throughout their professional journeys.
CCD Director Dr. Mallory Neil says, “I believe a valuable part of these information sessions is students having an opportunity to hear about job positions for the very first time. For a long time, it has been the belief that choosing a specific major dictated the trajectory of your entire career path, but that is no longer the case. It is my hope that through these sessions with alumnae, students will see examples of how careers evolve and change over time, and that their dream career may be a job they don’t even know exists.” She also notes that these events have led students to make appointments with the CCD to ask questions and to explore new career ideas.
Special thanks to Dr. Mallory Neil for her contributions to this story.
We are grateful to the following alums for their participation in CCD events this year:
Nanette Antwi-Donkor ’04 Sarah Belflower ’18 Danielle Cutter ’06 Amber Davis ’19 Madison McCarty Ernest ’15 Cheyenne Foster ’12 Pragna Halder ’08 Lauren Haney Provost ’03 Wallace Hudson ’15 Joy Mastrangelo Kaczor ’96 Jessica Kendrick Thomas ’08 Jake Kryjak ’17 Shanita Douglas Miller ’06 Debbie Stevenson Moses ’89 Zoe Nuhfer ’19 Mitsu Clark Parker ’94 Maricka Rogers-Randall ’88 Christina Valdes ’19 Najah Yasin Webb ’13
If you are interested in participating in an event with the Center for Career Development, please contact Dr. Neil at mneil@wesleyancollege.edu.
