For years, pursuing a career in law remained a dream on the back burner for Melissa Winans. Between supporting her husband through a decade of active-duty military service in the Marines, raising two children, working full-time, and earning both an associate and bachelor’s degree online, life was filled with responsibilities that came first. With a strong work ethic instilled by her mother and a determination to keep moving forward, Melissa built a successful career spanning across customer service, operations, management, and government services. But the goal of working in the legal field never faded. Inspired by the belief that it’s never too late to pursue a passion, she enrolled in American National University’s Paralegal Studies Certificate program, viewing it as the opportunity to finally turn a lifelong interest in law into a new career path. Her dedication to her education earned her the title of Term Trailblazer in her final term!

Working in law has been Melissa’s dream for as long as she can remember, but life changed the course of her plans as she started her family and supported her husband through active-duty service. However, after working with a “phenomenal” paralegal, Melissa knew where she wanted her future career to go. “It was that point for me when I looked at him and was like, ‘I’m going back to school!’ That was my turning point right there,” she explains.

When Melissa began looking for her Paralegal education, she already had one of the key skills that all Paralegals need: research. “I did a lot of research. I knew that I absolutely, hands-down, needed an ABA-approved school,” she says, “I want that ABA stamp on there. So I went further, I looked into the Military Friendly, because I did utilize Chapter 35 [benefits]. So I’m like ‘who has this program? Who could I possibly have classes with veterans or their family members?’ And it was 100% [ANU].” When she finally applied, ANU’s financial services team was able to help her through the process of utilizing her benefits. “The financial aid team definitely did help me. They had to walk me through not just the student loans again – because it’s been 10 or 12 years, I mean I have no idea what I’m doing anymore, so they definitely walked me through that.

And then they definitely helped me as far as utilizing my Chapter 35 benefits, because I had never used them before, I didn’t know how it worked. And they told me how it worked and walked me through it! They were a life saver on that part.”

Now that she has graduated, Melissa is working to get into the Paralegal field in places she hopes to help and benefit military personnel, veterans, and their families. Once she gets into the field, she knows her ANU education will have her prepared to jump into it “100%, hands-down.” She explains that earning her Paralegal Studies certificate has been harder than earning her previous bachelor’s degree. “That just bounces back with having to do everything right,” she explains. “Knowing that if you make a mistake, that clerk is going to send it right back! You have to not just find stuff on your own, but you have to utilize yourself and what you know.” She goes on to say that one of the very first classes she took in her program prepared her for the rest of the education she had ahead. “It was getting into LexisNexis, how to research LexisNexis, how to write, beginning that IRAC. That [class] in itself really homed in on what skills I was able to gain from that. And then going deeper into it, I wanna say Torts with Dean Notz, she really made sure we knew how to do an IRAC analysis. Come to find out what I thought I was doing correctly, I really only was doing it about 75%. There was more I should have done – and so now I do know how to do that correctly and that will stick with me for sure!” She says these two classes, Legal Research & Writing and Torts and Personal Injury, prepared her for everything she would experience within the field.

“Completing this program totally rewired my brain on how I write, how I think, how I look at things, how I research, how I raise my children!”

When asked which of her professors have left a positive impact on her, she responds, “each and every one of them have.” She goes on to name several: Professor Conrick, Professor Henderson, Dean Notz, and Professor Clark. “Yes, they each teach their own ways, but they give you their own perspectives. So going into it and having active practicing attorneys or active paralegals that are also instructors, you are getting all aspects of everybody’s brains! And I think that’s amazing.”

Melissa’s future goals include a five-year goal of getting into her career working with veterans. She also sees herself moving into a senior role or a management role. Upon reflecting on her goals, she states, “I don’t think I would have gotten at least to this point of actively applying to federal jobs if I hadn’t have gone through this program.”

Would she recommend ANU to others? “I actually already have done that!” She explains that she is part of several groups on Facebook for Paralegals and recommends the program there. “I have recommended ANU because they are an ABA program that just recently got their recertification for several years down the road. But not just that – even though it’s online, you still have that face-to-face time that is required. So you’re still in class for two hours whenever you do have class time,” she says. “I have done online school where they did not have lectures or class time, and then I’ve done it with ANU. And I would prefer [ANU]. I think you learn much better when you have somebody teaching you face-to-face and you’re interacting personally with your peers and instructors.”

Her advice to new Paralegal students is “to listen to the professors. Because they know what they’re doing, and they know what they’re talking about.” She says that students should be prepared to be humbled by what they do not know. “But it’s a great experience, and I would do it all over again with ANU! I really felt like I was part of something that was close-knit and not just doing something online.”

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After dedicating 14 years as a full-time caregiver to her three special needs children, Vernee Thompson made the decision to return to school and pursue a Paralegal associate degree at American National University. Married for 16 years and supported by a strong network of family—including her husband, children, mother, siblings, and extended relatives—she approached her education with determination and purpose. Building on her previous bachelor’s degree, she chose to expand her skill set through ANU’s Paralegal program, demonstrating that it is never too late to pursue new professional goals. Her journey reflects resilience, commitment, and the impact of a strong support system in achieving academic and career success.

Her decision to pursue a career in the paralegal field was driven by both practicality and personal interest. After initially planning to earn a second bachelor’s degree, she discovered that her intended program had been dissolved, prompting her to explore alternative educational paths. With a long-standing interest in law, she began researching various legal services careers and identified the paralegal profession as a strong fit. She reviewed programs approved by the American Bar Association (ABA) to ensure quality and credibility. “And since I wasn’t able to attend in person because of children’s disabilities, I decided to see if there were any online schools that the American Bar Association approved of,” she explained. “One of them was American National University, so I reached out to them, they reached back out to me, and that’s how I got enrolled!”

Vernee also highlighted how ANU’s paralegal program expanded her understanding of the paralegal role, as well as prepared her for the realities of the workforce. She explained, “I feel like I – it was a really great course in legal services and legal theory, something I didn’t really think about. Because I’m thinking, ‘oh I’m just a paralegal, I’m just gonna be handling paperwork.’ Well, it’s more than that. You’re also interviewing clients, you’re handling confidential information, you communicating with the courts, you’re communicating with attorneys.” Additionally, learning from career-experienced professors deepened her understanding. “It prepares you for the life of working in a law office – and it helps that your professors are also lawyers, or former paralegals, or current paralegals! So they understood what needs to be done in a law office through our assignments and discussions to help us become paralegals.”

She also pointed to the hands-on tools incorporated into the program as a key part of her preparation, particularly the use of industry-standard legal research platforms like LexisNexis®, which she had access to within her courses. Reflecting on this experience, she shared: “Lexis+ is basically a subscription for legal aid – it helps you look up cases, it helps you research how the cases were decided, how it was treated – was it treated negatively and favorably by the courts – and it gives you the background information on the cases. Also you can use it look up cases – previous cases, supreme court cases, cases in your state, federal as well as state administrative laws, and different things like that. So it was a great, helpful tool… for legal students to use because if you go to your law firm.”

“[ANU] prepares you for life outside of school. It’s not just a bunch of theories, but its real world applications mixed with clinical evaluations when you’re doing your assignments and doing your discussions.”

Throughout her time in the program, she found consistent encouragement and guidance from her instructors, including the Paralegal program dean Wendy Notz, as well as professors teaching her law and business like Traci Dingle, Dr. Lyndsey Obringer, Sheri Clark, and Lisa Custer. Reflecting on their impact, she shared, “All of the professors at ANU have been phenomenal for me. I could reach out to them, they were available for me, to answer questions timely. No question was off limits, everything was clearly explained, and if I had trouble with something, they were very detailed and they were very open and honest with me. All of them were very inspirational for me. So there is not a single one that I could say – they all inspired me, every last one of my professors did.”

Vernee’s future goals are to continue to be a solid figure for her children. Since graduating from ANU, she wants to work within the realm of family law as it was something she focused on in her previous career of social services. However, she takes things day by day. “I take it as it comes, and I just try to live each day to the fullest – because tomorrow is not promised to anybody!”

Would she recommend to ANU to other students looking to earn their higher education? “Yes, I would! I like the ease of the program. It’s still intensive because [a term] is ten weeks. But you learn so much in those ten weeks… You learn synchronously and you learn asynchronously as well,” she explained. “You know I also would recommend it because there’s the flexibility. If you work days, they have night classes – if you work nights, they have day classes. And the professors are very accommodating! I’ve met cohorts in my classes who have full time jobs and are [sic] full-time parents and they still were able to do their work, they were still able to attend their classes.”

“I think no matter where I go in law, I feel like I am prepared more than I would have been if I had not gone to ANU.”

Vernee’s advice to new students: “I would suggest that they do their work – not try to do everything at one time but try to space it out. Know your deadlines. Just time manage. If you have trouble, go to the professors, they’re very accommodating.”

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After fourteen years working as a medical assistant, including time as an office manager, Danielle wanted to focus on the behind-the-scenes portion of healthcare. She wanted to gain knowledge of health information programs to pivot her career, and also to aid her in her future goals of becoming a registered nurse. She chose ANU to get her to this next stage of her career. She joined the Health Information Management program for many reasons. “I chose ANU because, for one, I know that it’s veteran-owned, veteran-founded,” she says. She continues, “when I was researching, I wanted something that had multiple stars, not just general reviews. I wanted something that had strong reviews. And I knew with ANU – looking at the reviews for the college and on social media also – you just see the high reviews for the college. So, for me, that’s what stuck out. And seeing students’ reviews is a huge plus for me.”

Through her experiences with ANU, Danielle’s professors have always stood out to her. Not only is she learning the skills she needs to succeed in her future career, but they have always been there for her to rely on, even when she isn’t in their classes. One who really stands out is Sherry Davis, the very same professor who nominated her to be a Term Trailblazer for Term 254. “I’ve been happy so far! My professors are amazing, I love Mrs. Davis,” she explains. “She’s been there for me through everything, from the beginning to now. Any questions I have, I can just reach out to her with no problem.

It just makes me feel that I’m wanted there as a student – that’s huge!”

Not only that, but Tracy Dingle has stood out to her for the same reasons. “She has high expectations for us as a student, but also if there’s questions, then don’t think we can’t ask [them],” she says of Professor Dingle. No matter what the question is or what Danielle is looking for, her professors have stuck by her side. “They always said, ‘if you’re not in my class, or in any one of the classes I’m teaching, we’ll always be here. Just reach out’.”

In her classes, Danielle is also receiving the experience she needs to jump into the workforce. Through simulations, she has been able to practice the skills she’s learned within her classes. “And doing the simulations we have to do, right now, on the sims chart – it’s fun for me! I sit there and I zoom through a lot of them because I’m like, ‘this is just fun!’ Inputting data, inputting medical history – it’s intriguing to me,” she explains.

“So they’ll give us a patient chart and tell us exactly what to do to document it – under appointment, immunization records, office visits, insurance data – so you’re doing what you would actually be doing in the field! You’re getting the hands-on portion of it.”

Many of Danielle’s initial goals revolved around being there for her family. “My first goal was, obviously, CPC (Certified Professional Coder) in billing and coding. I surpassed that goal – I passed. Ultimately, my goal with that was to work from home and to be able to have the flexibility with my kids,” she says. Upon reaching that goal, Danielle had realized she wanted and could do more. “I’m always one of those that likes to have more than one certification or career – it makes me more well-rounded. So I decided, ‘okay, let me go back for my RHIT (Registered Health Information Technician)’ which will give me another step up with my CPC. Because I’m finding a lot of jobs – if you have both, you have a better opportunity at getting that job.” When she finishes her education at ANU, she hopes to work in a hospital setting. And then, in the future, she hopes to return to school to either become a registered nurse or to move into respiratory therapy, as she’s asthmatic and has been researching that field.

Something that is important to Danielle is the way she has returned to education even while taking care of her family. With children in sports and needing more healthcare, her life remains busy, but even so, she is pursuing education. “I am being that example for all four of my kids. If mommy can go back to school, and I can graduate, and I can get high honors, and I can have the 4.0 GPA – you can, too! It takes a little work ethic, it takes a little bit of effort, it takes the time to study, but anybody can do it. And I’m going to be that example for my kids.”

Would she recommend ANU to others? “I have – I’ve actually referred ANU to several people already! One, for the flexibility. Two, for the professors. And three, for the foundation of what they stand on and the education part of it. It’s worth it in the end.”

Her advice to new students: “Have a plan, have a calendar, you have got to set times aside – you got to [have] time management. You can’t just think you can whip through your assignments in one night – it’s not like that… You just got to take the time out and pick and choose what’s important to you. For me, it’s my classes and passing with a 4.0, and me learning and getting my education. And learning the material! The number one thing I can tell somebody is time management and play with the system until you get it down in what works for you, because everybody is going to be different.”

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For Samantha Kunz Voelker, a lifelong dedication to hard work has always been second nature. After years in retail, where her friendly and outgoing personality shined, she found herself longing for a career with more purpose and room to grow. When her husband was diagnosed with stage 4 heart failure, Samantha’s life changed dramatically. She became deeply involved in his care, learning everything she could about his condition and medical needs. That experience sparked a new passion for healthcare and inspired her to pursue her education at American National University, where she could build a meaningful career while continuing to care for her husband at home. Her dedication and determination recently earned her recognition as a Term Trailblazer for term 254!

At first, Samantha wasn’t entirely sure if a career in healthcare was the right path – she just knew how much she loved caring for her husband and children. As she began exploring schools online, one name immediately caught her eye. Her strong sense of patriotism drew her to American National University, and she decided to learn more. After filling out her information, she was soon contacted by a member of the admissions team, whose encouragement and guidance helped Samantha take the next step toward her new career journey.

“She made me want to go… she instantly made me feel like I was part of [ANU] already.”

Her education at ANU has given Samantha the confidence to improve the care she gives her husband, and to one day join the field of medical assisting. “It’s more than I ever thought,” she says, “being able to do school at home and work in my own comfort, I feel like I’m absorbing more. I don’t feel as intimidated.” Being online has given Samantha more freedom to learn in the comfort of her own home, whereas an in-person environment would cause her more stress. She explains that being in-person wouldn’t provide her the comfort to join discussions, whereas ANU’s Zoom sessions have given her that opportunity.

“I also think doing it online [with] the live lectures – the live lectures are actually my favorite part! Because the discussions – I get to hear everybody’s point of view about a topic about a certain topic so it makes me look at it in a way that I wouldn’t have looked at it before… I personally feel like I learn a lot more doing [classes] online than if I were doing it in a classroom.”

Samantha found the staff at ANU to be supportive of not only her journey but also her peers’ journeys at every turn. The Medical Assisting program chair, Carrie Rodriguez, is one of the first staff that made an impact on her. “She helps everybody. She’s just got a pure heart and she’s good in anything! If there’s ever any questions about anything – it could be something [that has] nothing to do with her – and she will help you in every way,” Samantha explains.

Additionally, Dr. Stephanie Denton has made a difference in her learning experience. “I absolutely love her!” Samantha begins, “she talks a lot, but she knows a lot about a lot. If she doesn’t know, she’s gonna look it up and tell you… She’s right there every bit of the way for everything that you’re doing. To me, that helped me learn a lot. She gave me a really good foundation to be able to be successful in [my] classes.” One of the highlights of ANU’s online experience is that it brings people from all over the country closer together. In Samantha’s time, she learned that Dr. Denton grew up not too far from where Samantha lives now. “After talking to her and getting to know her, I felt like I almost knew her on a personal level [because] we have a lot of friends in common, towns in common, and stories in common.”

Her future goals include working at the clinic where her husband goes for appointments. After that, she hopes to love working in the medical field as a medical assistant so she can possibly pursue a nursing degree later. “I have a friend who is a nurse practitioner – and in the town that I live in, there isn’t any clinics, so we would actually try to get a clinic here and have something at home,” she explains. “Already, doing all of this, I already know, I am far more passionate about it than I thought I would be. I thought I would just do it to hopefully to help others learn about LVAD and certain heart failure and challenges my husband has faced. I see myself continuing and continuing to grow my education in the healthcare field.”

Would she recommend ANU to others?

“I have actually already recommended ANU to a few people around here, that I’m trying to get them in,” she says. She has a friend who has been struggling with the financial aid portion of education. “The financial aid team at ANU was so easy to communicate with and helped handle things. That was my biggest thing I was worried about, and they made it so easy for me!”

Her advice to new students starting at ANU is: “Plan! Daily planners, plan, write out schedules… I am a mother to three stepchildren who live with me, I have a husband in end stage heart failure, I have nine rescue cats, I work a job, and I am a full time student. If you plan everything out, it will work just fine!”

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When Timothy Adedoyin reflects on his journey in information technology, one thing is clear: the field has transformed dramatically since he first began his studies. Now recognized as a Term 252 Trailblazer at American National University, Timothy is pursuing a Master of Science in Information Technology (MSIT) to ensure he stays ahead in this fast-changing industry. Originally from Nigeria, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in computer science and a master’s degree in information technology, he came to America determined to upgrade his skills and academic qualifications for the future. With ANU’s courses, Timothy has not only excelled in his classes but has improved upon knowledge he already had.

Reflecting on why he chose ANU, Timothy shared how the university’s approach to education aligns with the way he learns best. “For someone like me, ANU is the best school for me. How do I mean? I am someone who is always self-taught, independent, and I really, really need my own time,” he explains. “I don’t want to go sit in a conventional classroom, especially when I want to work and be able to earn my degree.

So ANU presented the opportunity for me to learn at my own comfort, supervised and graded by the highest academic standards, and also be able to get experience from renowned professors and doctors in the program.”

For Timothy, it wasn’t just about advancing his education—it was about finding a program that fits into his life. “So, most importantly, it was the perfect fit for me [with] work life balance.”

Timothy also shared how his studies at ANU have had a direct impact on his professional life. He takes pride in showcasing his academic journey, and even small milestones have boosted his confidence and highlighted the value his workplace places on his education. “My signature for my email was updated with MSIT at the end. That made me feel great, so yeah, my workplace values it and I think it’s a great one for me, too,” he says.

One of the experiences Timothy valued most during his time at ANU was the international student residency. It gave him the opportunity to connect face-to-face with professors and peers, building relationships and insights that enriched his online learning experience. He explains that some of his favorite moments of his education come from the residency days he attended, “the interaction between myself and fellow students and instructors, and particularly I want mention Dr. Sullivan and Dr. Godlove. Those are two people who are a significant part of my life and study.”

He goes on to describe why Dr. Nathan Sullivan and Dr. Timothy Godlove impacted his study. “Dr. Sullivan works in the industry, so he brings industry experience into academics, which makes him a very great [teacher]. Likewise, Dr. Godlove – we had a lot to talk about because his experience is from the past when he was, I think, in the military, and he’s also in the academics now. So we can relate on production, implementation of IT and its original academic aspect… Beyond that, sometimes we also discuss work relationships, how to angle something, real life work relationships in class. So those discussions and the residency were actually significant for me.”

For Timothy, one of the most rewarding aspects of studying at ANU has been the diversity of the student body. Engaging with classmates from all over the world has broadened his perspective, enriched class discussions, and made his educational journey even more meaningful. “It’s the diversity and broad spectrum of knowledge that the school allows individuals to share,” he explains about what he likes most about ANU.

“Of all the schools I’ve been to [before], they have been conventional in such that it’s been people from the same region. But ANU brings everybody from all over the world – I’ve met people from Africa, from Asia, from America – all over the world. The beauty of that is a lot of these people come with their own experiences, they come with their own process of how they do things and standards. You see some differences that you can say ‘I’m going to borrow how they do this over there, I’m going to use this.’”

Looking ahead, Timothy is focused on using his advanced IT skills to lead a larger organization. “The goal is to be a CTO for a large enterprise. That’s the goal,” he says with a wide smile. Timothy is confident in his aspirations for that role due to the education he’s received thus far in his life.

Would he recommend ANU to others? “I would recommend it to people who are ready to put in the work, people who are hardworking… It would be for someone who is determined to put in the work and succeed.”

Timothy’s advice to new students is to “be serious from the very first time. Set your goals and know what you want. Do not say ‘oh I’ve got all the time to get up my grade.’ Also timing, do not procrastinate, you’ve got to set a strict schedule… And most importantly, I would also encourage that the student interact with others and also don’t just read the book to pass, think of how you can apply the knowledge, think about the ways you can apply the knowledge.”

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Colleen Morgan, a dedicated direct support professional and employment specialist, has spent her career empowering adults with disabilities—often sharing her artistic talents by teaching art classes at work. With an associate degree in visual fine arts and a deep love for creativity, Colleen once envisioned a future centered entirely on art and giving back to her community. However, when she began to face burnout in her career path, she knew she needed a change. Colleen decided to combine this desire to help others with another lifelong passion—law—by returning to school at American National University in the Paralegal certificate program. Her commitment, drive, and dedication to her new career path has earned her the distinct award of Term Trailblazer, nominated by her professors.

When Colleen decided to pursue her passion for law, she began by researching a wide range of schools. She needed an online program to fit her full-time work schedule and limited free time. Affordability was also a key factor, and she specifically sought out ABA-approved programs. “I chose ANU because the program works really well with my schedule, and also it was the cheapest out of all of the schools I looked at!” she laughs. “So that was the most appealing. And it was ABA-[approved]!” ANU hit every need she had for her higher education.

Starting the Paralegal program opened new ways of thinking for Colleen that deeply engaged her natural curiosity. “It definitely–I feel like once I started the Paralegal program, especially when I started legal research and writing, it kind of changed the way my brain dissected things, like the way I think. I find that really interesting… I am naturally a very curious person, I like to research and learn things. And I know that’s a lot of what Paralegals do, researching and learning about the different laws.” Reflecting on her Legal Research and Writing course, she shared:

“The way that Wendy taught us to look at the law and break it down and then look at the issue and break it down into facts, and then apply the two, at first it was really, really difficult. I felt like the class broke my brain – but in a good way!” She laughs. “It kind of rewired it, and I think that getting that skill of research and writing can carry on to all facets of your life… it only helps me be a better writer. It’s going to help me wherever I go after [ANU].”

Colleen’s curiosity only deepened as she explored specialized areas of law. “Sheri [Clark] actually recommended me to take [Estate Administration and Elder Law].” She has discovered a strong connection between laws protecting the elderly and those covering people with disabilities, saying, “A lot of the laws that cover the elderly also cover people with disabilities, so I am learning a lot about that… I am getting more information and learning more about the processes and what it looks like, and I find that interesting!”

Colleen also spoke warmly about the professors who have shaped her experience. She admires Dean Wendy Notz’s teaching style: “I liked that she was – she’s a little bit of a stricter grader, but I really appreciate professors that don’t let students take the easy way out. I like them to challenge me… I like to try to work through something and figure it out. And that way, when I do figure it out, I feel a lot better, and I feel more prepared when I do go out in the field. I felt like I learned a lot from Wendy and she’s an amazing professor.” She also appreciated Sheri Clark’s genuine care and connection with her students, as mentioned previously with her Elder Law class. “I can see that she genuinely cares for all of her students. I like that she can remember little things about students. I feel like when I would take Sheri’s classes, it felt more like a little family rather than a class while still learning a lot from her – which is nice!”

Her future goals include becoming certified both as a paralegal and as a notary. Additionally, her biggest goal is to go back to school to earn her bachelor’s degree and then go to law school. “It was always in the back of my mind, if art didn’t work out, I would really like to be a lawyer,” she muses. “Seeing the injustices that happen to people, I want to fight for people, and I think a way to do that is being a lawyer… I want to work with people who are underserved in the community.” Her love of education and learning only boosts her desire to achieve her goals.

Would she recommend ANU for higher education? She answers:

“Yeah, I would recommend ANU to a friend looking to be a paralegal. I think ANU is really great with working with adults who work full time… And I think that’s hard to find – a school that you like that also works with your schedule. And also, it’s very affordable!”

Her advice to new students is to get a physical planner. Writing down assignments, due dates, and readings helps her stay on track. “Also have [at least one] day in your week where you are setting aside time for schoolwork. That day for me was Tuesday because Tuesdays I got out of work early and didn’t have any classes. So after work, I would come home, sit at my desk, and either read, or do my discussion posts, or get assignments done – that was my day to work,” she explains, as these two tips helped her succeed in her classes.

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While Ann has already been through a paralegal education prior to joining ANU’s certificate program, she says it was “nothing like [ANU’s] program.” One of the biggest reasons she enjoyed her education here is because of the connection she has felt with her professors and fellow students. “The interaction with the instructors, even through Zoom – I will say, you guys have really mastered that online platform and being able to really communicate,” she explains. “We might work on something, and it didn’t really feel remote. So it was great!” The biggest benefit to earning her certificate is that it added to her already existing education and experience. “It is really great to have the update in technology… and the learning, the being entrenched in it as intense as the program is… it really does prepare you for those situations in a work setting where it’s crunch time and you’re dealing with this, and you know there’s an end in sight so you can get through. And learning things that I didn’t know, because I did corporate [law]. And I worked for a criminal defense attorney a long time ago, so it wasn’t really anything I remembered.”

Ann’s professors imbued her with the knowledge she needed to branch out in her career. While she came in with experience from her career, two professors taught her so much more. Dean of the program Wendy Notz and Sheri Clark have made a real impact on Ann’s education.

“What I appreciated is Dean Notz, her class – like learning so much and having that early really helped build a foundation,” she described. “And Sheri [Clark] always brings learning and humor, like stories that help you learn. [They were] a really good combination… you hear them in your head afterwards.”

Since she’s finished her program, Ann says, “I miss it! I miss the classes! I like learning.” When it comes to her future now that she has completed her certificate, she plans to work in person in a real estate firm. “I do best with challenges that seem overwhelming, but I like to chip away at something… I like different kinds of projects,” she explained. She wants to work within these two career fields that she has come to enjoy – law and real estate – while interacting with people. “I wouldn’t mind working remote but still being [involved with people]. Like having everyone get together – it doesn’t bother me if it’s virtual.”

Would she recommend ANU to those looking to earn their higher education?

“I would definitely!” She explained that while she worked for her previous employer, she was working remotely. However, they didn’t have the work ironed out. “I’ve told people how [ANU] has mastered… [remote work]. It’s seamless! Even the online textbooks – where that’s not something I normally would like – it worked!”

Her advice to new students: “Get ready, put the time in and study. Just because it’s remote – you have to treat it like you’re there – nobody is going to force you… Take it seriously and don’t be afraid to participate in class and ask for help. I think working with the other students is a good experience because everybody – we all have such different backgrounds.”

The post Broadening Her Education: Ann Burns Story with ANU appeared first on American National University.

After years of hardship and uncertainty, Kayla was encouraged by a friend to take control of her future. She began at a community college and even took a leap outside her comfort zone, moving away from home for the first time to work at Disney in Florida. After stepping back to refocus on her career path, a conversation with someone close to her led her to discover that Medical Billing and Coding was exactly where she wanted to be. “You have so many options in it,” she explains about her choice of career. Kayla enrolled in a local institution in West Virginia and worked in the field for a few months before relocating to North Carolina. However, upon moving, she discovered that her original certification didn’t transfer between states—so she needed a nationally recognized certification to continue her career.

While Kayla had the work experience and the education that she needed to test for her certification upon her move, Kayla is a lifelong learner. She valued the opportunity to learn more about her field to fully immerse herself into it. “I was just doing research, and I knew I wanted it to be all online. I didn’t want to go anywhere in person. And so I found ANU,” Kayla explains upon how she found ANU’s program. “I knew I needed my CPC (Certified Professional Coder certification) so I went through [ANU]. I’m glad I did! I like the support I’ve had.”

“Sherry Davis is probably my favorite person. She was my biggest supporter. Like, before my [certification] exam, I was freaking out. And she was like, ‘you got this!’ She was the first person I told [that] I passed… She was just great!”

“I did have a great experience with ANU,” she explained, reflecting back on her diploma program, “I love the Zoom classes, I like being able to talk to people and having my classmates [around].” Even though she’s already gone through a program prior, she still gained a lot of knowledge and support she needed to succeed from ANU. She explains in her career that she now audits codes doctors put in.  “In the place I’m in now, [the doctors] do all of the coding. I just make sure it’s correct!” She says. This kind of work is something she’s been able to achieve with the education she’s had and the experience she has put into her career.

Her future goals, now that she’s earned her CPC certification, are to continue to work her career and to enjoy her life with a flexible career. She hopes one day to work remotely so she can travel the world, “and I want my job to be able to go with me!”

Would she recommend ANU to others looking to get into Medical Billing and Coding? “I would! I like the support I had from my advisors… they always reach out! Any questions I’ve had, they’ve always been answered.” She even goes on to say that her professors have been great. “I’ve enjoyed all of my professors… they’re just willing to help, and they encourage you, and they support you. Especially Sherry Davis!”

She gives advice to her fellow classmates about the journey it may take to get their perfect career.

“[The jobs] are there, they just want people with experience. You get experience by starting somewhere… school will teach you blue, red, pink, yellow, and black. Working in it is going to teach you turquoise, teal, lime green, hot pink, baby pink, sky blue – it’s going to teach you all the shades of colors… schooling [and experience] is so important.”

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