My One Term WGU MBA

[cerich67]

(if anyone wants to assist me with my stylizing, I have absolutely no experience in producing acceptable writing on this kind of board.) My journey started in December, when I came across the "Groupon MBA" from ENEB. I bought the groupon out of curiosity, and began the course. In my research of the validity of the degree, I came across this forum. Ultimately, I reached the conclusion that while I consider a "titulo propio" to be a valid degree, I do not want to spend that much time working on something that can be so quickly dismissed with a google search showing it as the groupon degree.  By then, I had the bug to get back in school though (Thanks ENEB!) and discovered WGU. I liked the pedigree, I like the accreditation. I like that nobody can in good faith argue the validity of the degree. I enrolled and set off on a goal to complete my degree in one year. 

I got started on my first class in March 2020, and realized that the "Move at your own pace" style of WGU was right up my alley. I no longer had to sit through lectures waiting for everyone else to understand the material. I used youtube, textbooks, the great courses, and even the MBA for dummies books to absorb the material as quickly as possible. One class after another I started knocking them out. I reached the capstone in the first week of July, 4 months after I began. I was certainly on track to finish the capstone before the end of my first term on August 31st. All of this, while working a full time job with the federal government, and 5 nights a week at a local restaurant. Needless to say, I was exhausted.

Life does not always go in the direction that we plan, unfortunately. On the night of July 18th, while I was working at the restaurant, I got a phone call from my husband. He was suicidal. I left the restaurant and raced home to help him. By the time I got home, he was gone from this world and my life forever.  Its difficult to differentiate between your own goals and your spouses when you have dreams to accomplish things together. Almost every single goal we had was shared between the two of us. With his loss, I had no reason to finish anything. The only goal that was mine, was my masters. 

WGU granted me a 30 day term extension to the end of September due to the circumstances, and in August I started back working on the capstone little by little whenever I could get my mind in the right place. Then on August 18th, exactly one month after the death of my husband, I was diagnosed with COVID. 2 weeks of achy muscles, brain fogs, and lung hacking. No motivation or energy to do any school work. I started seeing a therapist for the loss of my husband, as I was developing symptoms of PTSD. WGU was amazing and granted an additional term extension. It was another month before I was even able to look at school work again, after intense therapy with my psychiatrist, medication, and trying to figure out all my finances that my husband managed. at the end of October, I was finally able to sit down and get to work. My first assignment was submitted in the last week of October, and WGU gave me one last 30 day extension to complete the degree. I struggled through the beginning of November, and then in the final 2 weeks of November completed the remaining tasks for the capstone. 

While my degree was not completed in the typical 6 month deadline due to the circumstances, I am proud to say that 9 months after beginning my degree, I have an accredited MBA in Healthcare Management, and was accepted into AT Still University's Doctor of Health Sciences program with a concentration in Global Health. I plan to start a non-profit organization to provide access to mental health services to immigrants, LGBT, and other minorities that do not have access to these services. 

I am profoundly touched by your story and can't even begin to find the words.

You really, truly were inspirational even before your husband's death, after, it really does defy words.

I was involved in starting a national organization/NFP in Canada for veterans around mental health issues and if you ever wish to bounce ideas or talk, would consider it a privledge.

Well done, self care and thank you for sharing,

Chris