Category: Testimonials & Student Stories

Life is full of challenges. Your online education doesn’t need to be one of them.

Life is full of challenges. Your online education doesn’t need to be one of them.

Julia Parsons (pictured above) wanted to go back to school for her family, in addition to realizing her dream of becoming a mentor and guiding force for college students. “I work full-time, I’m a mom and I’m a wife,” Julia says. Returning to school for her master’s degree was about “supporting my family and showing my daughter that I’m going to do what I set out to do.”

When Camille Jones graduated with her associate’s degree, she was pregnant with her daughter. “I worked for 15 years or so and I wanted to go back to school, but really didn’t have the time because I was a wife and mother of two kids.” She never gave up on her dream of going back to school, though, and she knew it was time when she kept hearing potential employers tell her the same thing. “I had interview after interview,” Camille explains, continuing that each time they would say, “We want to give you this job but you need a bachelor’s degree.”

For Troy Marables, the first in his family to go to college, it was about realizing his full potential. Troy received a promotion at work after 20 years of service, but felt he hadn’t gone as far as he wanted to go. “I needed to go back to school and get my degree in order to move to the next level of management.”

You may have dreamt about earning a college degree or going back to school, too. And each time you thought about it, you came up with reasons it wasn’t possible.

Like Camille, Troy and Julia, it’s time to turn your “why” into “how.”

Whether you want to earn your bachelor’s degree, master’s degree or obtain a specialized certificate, you can make your dreams come true through an online degree or certificate from University of Louisville (UofL) Online. UofL Online provides the support, expertise and student-driven focus needed to help you reach your goals.

It’s about you

Camille Jones

Everyone has a reason for wanting to go back to school. They have their own unique set of circumstances that may have kept them from taking the first step. UofL Online has a team of trained counselors, faculty and support staff to help you throughout the discovery and decision process.

This is your dedicated team. They’re available to listen to your concerns, answer questions and guide you to the resources you need. They are truly dedicated to your success and will work with you every step of the way on your journey.

It’s about excellence

The faculty teaching at UofL Online are thought leaders and researchers actively contributing to the advancement of their fields through their work—and the same world-class instructors as the traditional, on-campus programs. For online students, this means exposure to new research, an environment of innovation, a culture of excellence and forward-thinking ideas. Because UofL is a tier 1 research institution, you have the opportunity to learn from the best and the ability to be directly involved in making a difference, even before earning your degree.

UofL faculty are preparing students today for the challenges of tomorrow, empowering them to be leaders and influencers in their chosen professions and their communities.

It’s about time—and your time is now.

Troy Marables at work

UofL students come from all walks of life, all stages of career, with various backgrounds and from diverse cultures. Chances are you already know someone who has a degree from one of their programs. Now it’s your time to join UofL’s learners’ community.

With most of the online programs available at UofL, you won’t need to attend classes at set times. Choose the time that’s right for you to get your work done and meet course deadlines. You’ll also be able to work on your assignments and collaborate with classmates from any location.

Take the first step. Visit UofL Online to see what programs are available and start your journey. UofL currently has 32 online degree and certificate programs, with even more coming during the 2018-2019 academic year.

Turn your “why” into “how”. Gain the knowledge and confidence you need to knock down the barriers holding you back professionally. Become an inspiration to your family and friends. Most importantly, earn a sense of pride and accomplishment as you move past your hesitations, and embrace a future of possibilities.

“You can do it,” says Julia. “If it’s something that you want, that you have a passion for, and it’s where you see yourself in the future, then go for it.”

Julia Parsons and daughter

This blog post was originally published on Insider Louisville.

UofL Online Storytelling Team Strikes Gold!

UofL Online Storytelling Team Strikes Gold!

The story of Rachel McClain, first graduate of UofL’s Healthcare Leadership competency-based education (CBE) program, won first place in the national CBExchange Digital Storytelling contest. The video was produced by UofL Online marketing team led by Laura Dorman, marketing manager, in partnership with VideoBred Production, and with the contribution of Dr. Lee Bewley, BS OLL – Healthcare Leadership, CBE program director.

Watch the award-winning video now.

The Competency-Based Education Network (C-BEN) is a group formed of colleges and universities working together to address shared challenges to designing, developing and scaling competency-based degree programs across the United States. C-BEN brings together educators and staff who work in competency-based education and witness the transformative and innovative nature of CBE on a daily basis. Many have seen first-hand the ways CBE impacts students’ lives—enabling them to fulfill lifetime goals and pursue new opportunities.

To help others see the power of CBE, C-BEN issued a call to share these success stories. The CBExchange Digital Storytelling contest evaluated short digital stories combining video, photography, music, animation, etc., that focused on the impact of CBE on students’ journey and opportunity for higher achievements. Winning first place, Rachel’s story stood out as the most powerful and well-presented.

Her success story also launched the “What’s Your Why?” video testimonial series, created by the UofL Online marketing team. This series aims to share inspirational student and faculty stories with potential UofL Online students, the online learners community-at-large, employers and beyond.

Read more about Rachel’s journey at uofl.me/cbengold.

More than a Degree: Communication Graduate Testimonial

More than a Degree: Communication Graduate Testimonial






Maggie Cunningham earned more than a degree at UofL

By earning her Bachelor of Science in Communication with University of Louisville, Maggie gained a newfound confidence in herself, all thanks to a 100% online education that allowed her to play on her strengths and advance her future.

When Maggie decided to go back to school, a traditional classroom setting didn’t seem like the right fit for her. Previously attended and then withdrawn from an on-campus program at another university, she decided to explore online learning options with the University of Louisville–which turned out to be perfect for her and her situation.

With UofL’s online bachelor’s in Communication program, Maggie received the same education as any traditional student while maintaining the full-time job she was working to pay for classes. More notably, she found herself empowered by the online learning environment to overcome her social anxiety and more successfully interact with classmates and teachers.

“I felt like I needed [a degree] to be who I was.”

Maggie Cunningham

Through her education with UofL, Maggie embarked down not only an educational path but also a road to self-discovery. She learned more about herself, and emphasizes that earning her degree online with UofL helped her become the person she is today.

Since graduating, Maggie has gone on to land jobs in marketing and social media copywriting.

The Bachelor of Science in Communication degree at UofL is designed to build expertise around various communication strategies, cultures, channels and media types. Ultimately, the degree prepares students for careers in various fields including communications, marketing, advertising, broadcasting, journalism and public relations.

UofL also offers a Bachelor of Arts in Communication, which requires more liberal arts credits and excludes the internship portion.

Covering many different industries and careers, UofL Online offers a wide variety of 100% online degree and certificate programs–all of which deliver quality online education to non-traditional students who are not able to come to a physical campus and want to earn a college degree or certificate to start or advance their career.

Maggie went back to school to fill a void and feel more confident about herself.

What’s YOUR why?


Check out our YouTube page to hear testimonials from other UofL Online programs and students or read more of real student stories here.






No Time Like the Present: Healthcare Leadership Graduate Testimonial

No Time Like the Present: Healthcare Leadership Graduate Testimonial






Rachel McClain didn’t know what her life was missing—not until she almost lost her chance to find out.

After unexpectedly suffering a stroke, Rachel realized she wanted to live life to the fullest and achieve more. She found the perfect place to start at the University of Louisville. Earning a degree 100% online in Healthcare Leadership set Rachel up for career advancement and personal fulfillment.

Rachel started her education at a local community college right out of high school. When she got a full-time job in sales that didn’t require a college education, earning what she believed was decent income, she decided not to finish her degree.

Years later, she found herself passed up for jobs in lieu of others who had a bachelor’s degree. Despite having the necessary experience and intellect, her lack of a college diploma held her back from career progression.

Rachel’s mindset then was to live in the moment. As a result, she rarely found herself thinking much about the long-term and continuing her education wasn’t really on her mind.

However, when life intervened, her perspective changed. After recovering from a stroke, Rachel knew it was time to go back to school.

“I woke up one morning and it was really blurry. I ended up losing feeling in my face and ultimately, I had a stroke. I was debilitated for about six months. I went to occupational speech and physical therapy, where I learned to walk again, talk again and have motor skills again. And that’s when I really took the turn and said no time like the present. It’s time to go back to school.”

Rachel McClain

Start to Finish in Less Than a Year

Continuing her education and finishing the degree she previously started became her primary mission.

Rachel initially enrolled in a traditional four-year program, but it didn’t feel quite right. When she discovered the Healthcare Leadership (HCL) program, the first competency-based education degree delivered 100% online at UofL, she knew she’d found the perfect fit. Not only did the HCL program allow her to balance work and education, but it gave her the chance to capitalize on her decade-long professional experience and helped her reach the finish line much faster.

“[The Healthcare Leadership program] was everything I wanted. It instantly made me smile. It was perfect.”

Rachel McClain

Competency-based education (CBE) looks at prior education and/or working experience and rewards students with course credits for mastered competencies. In other words, students can test out of classes where they are knowledgeable and immediately start another class where they learn new concepts and skills. This method allows students to progress toward degree completion at a pace that fits their learning style.

For Rachel, this model allowed her to graduate with her bachelor’s degree in just about 10 months.

Since graduating from the healthcare leadership program, Rachel has been promoted within her organization and her life has changed for the better. Her experience as an online student and the degree she earned allows her to shine and gives her confidence to pursue even bigger dreams for her future.

Take The Leap

“To someone that is considering this degree: take the leap. There’s no time like the present and I think this program provides so much flexibility that it’s kind of a no brainer. Don’t put it off until tomorrow. I really think that this program has only given me benefits in my life and I would recommend it to anyone.”

Rachel McClain

Although Rachel worried about the commitment she had to make to finish her degree, as well as having another stroke during the process, she knew she couldn’t let anything hold her back. With the support and encouragement of her friends and family, Rachel took the leap to better her future—and it paid off.

This is Rachel’s story. Inspired by a shift in perspective, she went back to school to change her life and further her career. This is her why!

What’s YOUR why?


Check out our YouTube page to hear testimonials from other UofL Online programs and students, or read more student success stories here.

UofL Online

University of Louisville offers various degrees and certificate programs 100% online. These programs deliver quality online education to non-traditional students who are not able to come to a physical campus and want to earn a college degree or certificate to start or advance their career.