Julia Smith杏吧专区檚 name has graced Dean杏吧专区檚 Lists and President杏吧专区檚 Lists. And soon, it will be bricked along the 杏吧专区杏吧专区檚 .
But there were moments in her college journey when it looked like Smith might not make it.
杏吧专区淚 went to college excited for the social part, but not really focused on the academic part,杏吧专区 Smith says.
To turn things around, Smith took a step back from UL Lafayette. She re-evaluated her study habits and found an academic path that would prepare her for the future.
She found that path through the B.S. in Health Services Administration online.
A Quick but Useful Detour
Smith originally enrolled as a nursing major. After two semesters, though, she found herself languishing as a student.
She attended classes but struggled to find where she fit, so she mostly remained quiet at the back of the room and went with the flow.
Smith eventually transferred to a community college closer to home to rebuild her GPA and maintain financial aid eligibility.
Initially, leaving UL Lafayette shook Smith杏吧专区檚 confidence, but her parents cheered her on consistently.
杏吧专区淓ach time I doubted myself or questioned if I was headed in the 杏吧专区榬ight direction,杏吧专区 they remained optimistic and constantly reassured me,杏吧专区 says Smith.
Her parents杏吧专区 support fed her drive to correct course and succeed.
杏吧专区淚 just did a complete 180,杏吧专区 she says. 杏吧专区淚 went from being someone whose priorities weren杏吧专区檛 in line to actually having all of that together.杏吧专区
As she grew into a more effective student, it dawned on Smith that she was not meant for nursing. But, she was still drawn to health care as an industry.
杏吧专区淲henever I realized 杏吧专区業 don杏吧专区檛 think nursing is for me. What else can I do?杏吧专区 I knew I had more of a business mindset rather than working clinically,杏吧专区 says Smith.
A former roommate told Smith about the Health Services Administration online program, and she felt it click into place.
杏吧专区淚t instantly felt right for me,杏吧专区 says Smith. 杏吧专区淚 just felt so much more, like, at ease and comfortable about where my future was headed because now I had some sort of clear direction.杏吧专区
New Path, New Confidence
In switching to online courses, Smith quickly noticed the good habits she cultivated during her rebuilding year 杏吧专区 participating in classes, being unafraid to ask questions, and communicating with instructors 杏吧专区 were crucial to her success.
杏吧专区淭he teachers are so personable,杏吧专区 she says. 杏吧专区淲ith Health Services Administration being online, you really have to rely on your teachers to be good at communicating, or responding back, and they杏吧专区檝e all been excellent at that.杏吧专区
Smith wanted to find a study group, but she wasn杏吧专区檛 sure how that would work with online classes.
杏吧专区淚 was like 杏吧专区楬ow do you get to know people? How do you reach out to them?杏吧专区櫺影勺ㄇ鴿 she remembers.
Her solution was to email all her classmates in all her classes.
杏吧专区淲hoever answered, answered. Now, two years later, I talk to them every day,杏吧专区 says Smith. 杏吧专区淔rom then on, we were trying to schedule the same exact classes.杏吧专区
By forming her unofficial cohort, Smith kept up her study habits and learned to collaborate. Best of all, she wasn杏吧专区檛 the only one who benefited.
Dominique Llopis, who also graduated in Health Services Administration, met Smith through a finance class and appreciated the support of the study group and the way Smith developed as a leader of her peers.
杏吧专区淛ulia is passionate and goal driven. She embraced everyone in the group with open-mindedness and support,杏吧专区 says Llopis. 杏吧专区淛ulia is a stranger that became a friend.杏吧专区
Not only were group members there for each other, but they were cheerleaders for one another when someone was struggling in a class someone else had already completed.
杏吧专区淥ne girl I study with was stressed out,杏吧专区 says Smith. 杏吧专区淎nd I said, 杏吧专区業 know there杏吧专区檚 a lot going on, but trust me, you will be so glad you took all these classes. Once it杏吧专区檚 all done with, it杏吧专区檚 so worth it.杏吧专区櫺影勺ㄇ鴿
Jonae Dunbar, who also earned her Health Services Administration degree in 2022, was a study group member and was impressed with Smith杏吧专区檚 work ethic and positive influence.
杏吧专区淓ver since Julia reached out to me and we began working together, I've been more driven and grown more confident as a person as well as a student,杏吧专区 says Dunbar. 杏吧专区淪he pushed me to learn more and change a lot of my habits when it came to doing work and studying.杏吧专区
Still Growing
For her senior internship, Smith shadowed an administrator with the Our Lady of Lourdes care network.
Getting a close-up view of how responsibilities, resources, and accountability flow through an organization of that size affirmed to Smith that she switched to the correct program.
杏吧专区淢y favorite thing has been sitting in on their leadership meetings when all the clinic managers come together and they sit and they talk about each thing that杏吧专区檚 going on in their office,杏吧专区 she says. 杏吧专区淚t杏吧专区檚 been a very eye-opening experience.杏吧专区
At each step, Smith met challenges and persevered, growing into a more determined and caring leader, and an outstanding student. She was even inducted into the Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society upon completing her degree.
Smith returned to the 杏吧专区 for graduate school this fall and now is working toward her MBA in Healthcare Administration online.
杏吧专区淟uckily,杏吧专区 says Smith, 杏吧专区渦ndergrad has prepared me for the online format of the grad school.杏吧专区