My Personal Goal

My Personal Goal

Facing the fact that I was not going to be able to advance in my job as a Contract Specialist without a college degree was something that I should have expected, but it was a hard pill to swallow. In my 7 years with SAP I have exceeded expectations consistently and have been given the title of top performer. Even with the recognition that I have received at work I cannot be given the title of Senior Contract Specialist without a bachelor's degree, so returning to school was a decision that I have thought about for a long time, and a decision that I have taken very seriously. I am proud of the fact that I have enrolled at the University of Phoenix, as this is first step to accomplishing my personal goal of obtaining a bachelor's degree in business management.

Being successful in college is not something that is familiar to me. After graduating from high school in 1986 I decided to attend community college with the expectation of completing my general education and transferring to a state university. Attending community college was no different than attending a high school with little guidance regarding what is expected in order to succeed. I spent four years in community college taking classes that I found interesting rather than necessary. In that four year period I can honestly say that I communicated with a guidance counselor on two different occasions, the first being when I enrolled in school and the second when I made the decision to drop out of school. Even with the lack of guidance I was able to complete my general education before I dropped out. Interestingly enough I did not find out that I had accomplished this until I submitted my transcripts to University of Phoenix, 16 years after the fact.

At this point in my life I have a busy work and home schedule, so it was hard to imagine me successfully returning to school to complete my degree. However, after taking in to account the benefits and the disadvantages of receiving a degree, there was no questioning that working towards my degree was the right decision. My employer has assured me that I will receive the promotion to a Senior Contract Specialist when I complete my degree. This would mean an increase in my yearly salary and bonus. My employer has also committed to help me accomplish my goal by paying for my education as well as enabling me to study when I have down time at work.

My family members have been instrumental in my decision to return to school and will continue to be a propelling force while I am working towards my degree. They have committed to help with whatever I need including pushing aside their needs in order to help me clear my personal schedule and make room for school, especially my husband Marshall. Marshall graduated from the University of Phoenix with a bachelor's degree in business administration and a master's