Andee Higgins wasn’t starting from scratch when she enrolled at WSU Tech. Far from it. She had already raised eight kids and worked her way up from a hospitality front desk to director of sales, building years of real-world experience along the way. Today, she leads community relations for Pella across six Kansas communities.

But even with a career already in motion, Andee wanted something more.

She enrolled at WSU Tech to pursue an Associate’s in Digital Marketing, adding new digital skills to the experience she had already built on the job. And when she was ready for the next step, she didn’t have to start over there either.

Through WSU Tech’s Organizational Leadership and Learning (OLL) Pathway, her credits transferred to Wichita State, and her years of professional experience could count toward her bachelor’s degree. Instead of repeating what she already knew, Andee could build on it, strengthening her leadership skills while continuing to move forward in her career.

So, what is it actually like to go back to school when you already have a career, a family and years of experience behind you? We asked Andee about her journey through Wichita State’s Organizational Leadership and Learning program.

What did you study at WSU Tech?

I have an Associate’s in Digital Marketing from WSU Tech. 

What do you do now?

I am a community relations coordinator at Pella. I do organic posting on social media and LinkedIn. I create billboards and magazine ads. I work on being active in the communities where we have stores, which are Wichita, Salina, Manhattan, Lawrence, Hays, and Dodge City.

What made you decide to go for the Organizational Leadership & Learning bachelor’s degree?

Angie Evans positively peer-pressured me to go for it. I was finishing up the digital marketing degree, and she was telling me it wouldn’t be that much more to earn the bachelor’s degree. I did ALL the classes I could at WSU Tech, as it was cheaper. I ended up with the most amazing math teacher who helped me excel. 

How did you fit this into your life, and how did your WSU Tech credits or work experience count toward the degree?

I was lucky Pella gave me the time to go to class if I couldn’t find one after hours and time at work to do homework if it was slow in the showroom. 

If you had to explain what this program actually teaches you to a friend, in plain terms, what would you say?

This degree helped me to be able to show what I had learned through experience in two industries. Then,  it helped me refine my leadership skills and be able to look at different situations in new ways to help me become a better leader in the future.

You mentioned that math was initially one of the biggest barriers holding you back from going back to school. Can you tell us more about that, and what helped you push through it?

Thankfully, I got the most amazing teacher at WSU Tech in a subject I struggle with and have cried way too many tears over. She helped – with a lot of hard work, I earned a B! This is one of the classes I’m most proud of accomplishing well. It was one that has been a struggle all of my life.

What can you do now that you could not do before, or how has earning your degree changed the way you see your future in your industry?

In the future, I plan to move to a bigger city, and with my degree(s), I will be taken more seriously because I have school knowledge as well as experience.

Was cost ever something that almost stopped you? What would you tell someone who wants to do this but thinks they can’t afford it?

Thankfully, I did qualify for FAFSA, grants, and when I did need a loan the school percentages weren’t horrible. I felt it was something that will be worth the costs involved for my future in a big city.

What would you say to someone who is thinking about this but is not sure they can do it?

Age is just a number. Honestly, this round of schooling has been easier than when I was younger because I have actual life experiences to draw from on my homework. Many times, I created assignments around something I’ve learned in work or in life.

I’m actually a single mom, I have eight kids, down to three at home so it’s a little bit less. But if I can do it, you can do it.

The WSU Tech OLL Pathway works in four steps: Earn an associate degree at WSU Tech, transfer to Wichita State, turn documented work experience into college credit, and graduate with your bachelor’s from Wichita State. 

Our Accelerate advisors help you coordinate the transfer so you know which credits count.

For Andee, that meant roughly 54 credit hours she did not have to repeat, and a bachelor’s degree that showcases the work she had been doing for years.

If you have been out of school for a while, find out what your experience is worth in credit hours. Talk with an Accelerate advisor at WSU Tech about the OLL Pathway at wsutech.edu/ollpathway.

Explore the OLL pathway and discover where your education and experience could take you.