Transitioning from Military to Bachelors Degree
For over four decades, CityU has been committed to serving those who serve in the military, including veterans like Shara Gordon. As she completed her primary school education on the 
other side of the world, Shara was looking for a school and a program that would fit her schedule and lifestyle. “I graduated from highs school in Belgium and received an army scholarship at UC San Bernardino. I did 2 ½ years there. Once I finished the end of my sophomore year, I was low on money so I left, and came back for one more year, before I became active duty in the army.” After several years, Shara decided to go back to school, originally for cosmetology, before transferring to CityU. “When I first left school to pursue my army career, I felt like I wasn’t accomplishing as much as my peers. After I graduated from cosmetology school, I enrolled at CityU (to finish my bachelor’s). I was pleased that I was able to find a schedule to fit my lifestyle – I was able to be a full-time student while working full time, and being a mom.” Shara said.
Although Shara worked on JBLM in Washington, she was unfamiliar with CityU at first. “My ex-husband sent me two or three schools to look into. After talking to her advisor, the Bachelor of Arts in Management just made sense.” Shara said. Once her program began, Shara was off to a great start, and she knew she picked the right university and the right program. “The student portal was easy to navigate, I could do it on my own, it was student-focused and user friendly. I was even able to transfer my credits and use my military benefits.” Shara said.
Full-Time Mom and Student
Because she was able to implement her military experience, Shara was able to find a balance between her home life and school. “I think being in the military and juggling several things at once helped me to balance my lifestyle. The program I chose allowed me to get posts and projects done while still maintaining my life. I was able to prioritize my class time and get my day to day stuff done.” Shara said.
Now that Shara is looking towards earning her master’s degree, she has advice for any students who are looking to attend CityU, “Make sure that you develop a good relationship with your advisor, maintain consistent communication, they are super helpful, and lean into the process. It can be nerve-racking at first, but don’t let it stop you from having an authentic experience, my process was way better than I thought it would be.” Shara said.
