In December 2021, Kimberly Melvin earned an M.S. in Communication, researching concepts like gender representation and bias in contemporary music. 
Melvin杏吧专区檚 research was partially inspired by her daughters, 6 and 8, and a drive to create a better world for them as women. It was also driven by her own passion for learning 杏吧专区 a fire she stoked by completing her bachelor杏吧专区檚 through UL Lafayette杏吧专区檚 online General Studies program.
Degree within Reach
Melvin was on an evolving academic path at UL Lafayette 杏吧专区 then 杏吧专区 of Southwestern Louisiana 杏吧专区 when she had her first daughter. After starting her studies in journalism and transitioning to public relations then dietetics, she took a break, returned, then took another break when she had her second daughter.
杏吧专区淚 was trying to work and go to school and make sure my kids were fed, and that's really hard to do when you have a brand-new baby," Melvin says. 杏吧专区淪o, school just kind of fell by the wayside.杏吧专区
More than 10 years later, Melvin watched a coworker complete his bachelor杏吧专区檚 degree online and wondered if she could do the same with UL Lafayette. She checked the website and found the online Bachelor of General Studies with four concentrations. The concentration in applied science looked closely aligned to the credits Melvin had already earned.
杏吧专区淲hen I spoke with the coordinator, she took a look at all my credits she said, 杏吧专区楢bsolutely you can do this. You'll have your degree in a year.杏吧专区 At that point I'd been trying to finish this degree for 杏吧专区 I'm not even exaggerating 杏吧专区 20 years,杏吧专区 Melvin says. 杏吧专区淚 think I cried. It was this this thing that was hanging over my head that I hadn't finished.杏吧专区
Full-time Mom, Student, Employee
Melvin enrolled in the program in January 2018 and crossed the commencement stage three semesters later. Each semester, Melvin took at least 12 credit hours 杏吧专区 a full-time course load.
Throughout that time, she worked full time in addition to caring for her two young children. Both Melvin and her family had to adjust to online coursework. Melvin says it took some time to help her children understand the time she needed to set aside for school.
"I'd just shut myself in a room with a computer, and say, 'OK, this is mommy's homework time.杏吧专区 My husband helped me out a lot with that, helping them understand,杏吧专区 Melvin says. 杏吧专区淚t was kind of tricky at the time, too, because only one of my kids was in school, so the concept of homework was kind of alien to them.杏吧专区
Melvin says even though it required steady time management, learning online also allowed her to be there for her family.
"It was the best option for me having a full-time job and being a parent. To not have to go to campus was huge,杏吧专区 Melvin says. 杏吧专区淚 didn't have to miss my kids. Even though I was locked in the other room, at least I could pop in and say hello or help them with their homework or whatever they needed. It really let me be with them.杏吧专区
Melvin says the time management strategies she honed as an online student have served her well in graduate school, especially during a pandemic.
杏吧专区淭owards the end of last semester and going into this semester with everything being online, I was completely prepared for that,杏吧专区 Melvin says. 杏吧专区淎s they say, nothing really prepares you for grad school until you do it, but I made a 4.0 last semester. There's no way I would have done as well as I did 杏吧专区 or as well as I am doing right now 杏吧专区 if it hadn't been for the time management skills that I learned.杏吧专区
Relishing the Challenge
Melvin completed her undergraduate studies with courses that interested her personally, as well as academically 杏吧专区 young adult literature, film history, and Cajun and zydeco music.
Once she was finished, Melvin found she missed her coursework. So, she applied to the 杏吧专区 again as a graduate student.
Melvin began her studies at UL Lafayette in 1998 in communications, and now, she says, that杏吧专区檚 where she杏吧专区檒l finish.
"When I saw the opportunity to go back and come full circle, I was like, 杏吧专区榶ou know, this is what I really want to do; I'm just not happy otherwise,杏吧专区櫺影勺ㄇ鴿 Melvin says. 杏吧专区淓ven though it's stressful, I still try to relish the challenge.杏吧专区