Colleen Morgan, a dedicated direct support professional and employment specialist, has spent her career empowering adults with disabilities—often sharing her artistic talents by teaching art classes at work. With an associate degree in visual fine arts and a deep love for creativity, Colleen once envisioned a future centered entirely on art and giving back to her community. However, when she began to face burnout in her career path, she knew she needed a change. Colleen decided to combine this desire to help others with another lifelong passion—law—by returning to school at Â鶹Éç in the Paralegal certificate program. Her commitment, drive, and dedication to her new career path has earned her the distinct award of Term Trailblazer, nominated by her professors.

When Colleen decided to pursue her passion for law, she began by researching a wide range of schools. She needed an online program to fit her full-time work schedule and limited free time. Affordability was also a key factor, and she specifically sought out ABA-approved programs. “I chose ANU because the program works really well with my schedule, and also it was the cheapest out of all of the schools I looked at!” she laughs. “So that was the most appealing. And it was ABA-[approved]!” ANU hit every need she had for her higher education.

Starting the Paralegal program opened new ways of thinking for Colleen that deeply engaged her natural curiosity. “It definitely–I feel like once I started the Paralegal program, especially when I started legal research and writing, it kind of changed the way my brain dissected things, like the way I think. I find that really interesting… I am naturally a very curious person, I like to research and learn things. And I know that’s a lot of what Paralegals do, researching and learning about the different laws.” Reflecting on her Legal Research and Writing course, she shared:

“The way that Wendy taught us to look at the law and break it down and then look at the issue and break it down into facts, and then apply the two, at first it was really, really difficult. I felt like the class broke my brain – but in a good way!” She laughs. “It kind of rewired it, and I think that getting that skill of research and writing can carry on to all facets of your life… it only helps me be a better writer. It’s going to help me wherever I go after [ANU].”

Colleen’s curiosity only deepened as she explored specialized areas of law. “Sheri [Clark] actually recommended me to take [Estate Administration and Elder Law].” She has discovered a strong connection between laws protecting the elderly and those covering people with disabilities, saying, “A lot of the laws that cover the elderly also cover people with disabilities, so I am learning a lot about that… I am getting more information and learning more about the processes and what it looks like, and I find that interesting!”

Colleen also spoke warmly about the professors who have shaped her experience. She admires Dean Wendy Notz’s teaching style: “I liked that she was – she’s a little bit of a stricter grader, but I really appreciate professors that don’t let students take the easy way out. I like them to challenge me… I like to try to work through something and figure it out. And that way, when I do figure it out, I feel a lot better, and I feel more prepared when I do go out in the field. I felt like I learned a lot from Wendy and she’s an amazing professor.” She also appreciated Sheri Clark’s genuine care and connection with her students, as mentioned previously with her Elder Law class. “I can see that she genuinely cares for all of her students. I like that she can remember little things about students. I feel like when I would take Sheri’s classes, it felt more like a little family rather than a class while still learning a lot from her – which is nice!”

Her future goals include becoming certified both as a paralegal and as a notary. Additionally, her biggest goal is to go back to school to earn her bachelor’s degree and then go to law school. “It was always in the back of my mind, if art didn’t work out, I would really like to be a lawyer,” she muses. “Seeing the injustices that happen to people, I want to fight for people, and I think a way to do that is being a lawyer… I want to work with people who are underserved in the community.” Her love of education and learning only boosts her desire to achieve her goals.

Would she recommend ANU for higher education? She answers:

“Yeah, I would recommend ANU to a friend looking to be a paralegal. I think ANU is really great with working with adults who work full time… And I think that’s hard to find – a school that you like that also works with your schedule. And also, it’s very affordable!”

Her advice to new students is to get a physical planner. Writing down assignments, due dates, and readings helps her stay on track. “Also have [at least one] day in your week where you are setting aside time for schoolwork. That day for me was Tuesday because Tuesdays I got out of work early and didn’t have any classes. So after work, I would come home, sit at my desk, and either read, or do my discussion posts, or get assignments done – that was my day to work,” she explains, as these two tips helped her succeed in her classes.

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While Ann has already been through a paralegal education prior to joining ANU’s certificate program, she says it was “nothing like [ANU’s] program.” One of the biggest reasons she enjoyed her education here is because of the connection she has felt with her professors and fellow students. “The interaction with the instructors, even through Zoom – I will say, you guys have really mastered that online platform and being able to really communicate,” she explains. “We might work on something, and it didn’t really feel remote. So it was great!” The biggest benefit to earning her certificate is that it added to her already existing education and experience. “It is really great to have the update in technology… and the learning, the being entrenched in it as intense as the program is… it really does prepare you for those situations in a work setting where it’s crunch time and you’re dealing with this, and you know there’s an end in sight so you can get through. And learning things that I didn’t know, because I did corporate [law]. And I worked for a criminal defense attorney a long time ago, so it wasn’t really anything I remembered.”

Ann’s professors imbued her with the knowledge she needed to branch out in her career. While she came in with experience from her career, two professors taught her so much more. Dean of the program Wendy Notz and Sheri Clark have made a real impact on Ann’s education.

“What I appreciated is Dean Notz, her class – like learning so much and having that early really helped build a foundation,” she described. “And Sheri [Clark] always brings learning and humor, like stories that help you learn. [They were] a really good combination… you hear them in your head afterwards.”

Since she’s finished her program, Ann says, “I miss it! I miss the classes! I like learning.” When it comes to her future now that she has completed her certificate, she plans to work in person in a real estate firm. “I do best with challenges that seem overwhelming, but I like to chip away at something… I like different kinds of projects,” she explained. She wants to work within these two career fields that she has come to enjoy – law and real estate – while interacting with people. “I wouldn’t mind working remote but still being [involved with people]. Like having everyone get together – it doesn’t bother me if it’s virtual.”

Would she recommend ANU to those looking to earn their higher education?

“I would definitely!” She explained that while she worked for her previous employer, she was working remotely. However, they didn’t have the work ironed out. “I’ve told people how [ANU] has mastered… [remote work]. It’s seamless! Even the online textbooks – where that’s not something I normally would like – it worked!”

Her advice to new students: “Get ready, put the time in and study. Just because it’s remote – you have to treat it like you’re there – nobody is going to force you… Take it seriously and don’t be afraid to participate in class and ask for help. I think working with the other students is a good experience because everybody – we all have such different backgrounds.”

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After years of hardship and uncertainty, Kayla was encouraged by a friend to take control of her future. She began at a community college and even took a leap outside her comfort zone, moving away from home for the first time to work at Disney in Florida. After stepping back to refocus on her career path, a conversation with someone close to her led her to discover that Medical Billing and Coding was exactly where she wanted to be. “You have so many options in it,” she explains about her choice of career. Kayla enrolled in a local institution in West Virginia and worked in the field for a few months before relocating to North Carolina. However, upon moving, she discovered that her original certification didn’t transfer between states—so she needed a nationally recognized certification to continue her career.

While Kayla had the work experience and the education that she needed to test for her certification upon her move, Kayla is a lifelong learner. She valued the opportunity to learn more about her field to fully immerse herself into it. “I was just doing research, and I knew I wanted it to be all online. I didn’t want to go anywhere in person. And so I found ANU,” Kayla explains upon how she found ANU’s program. “I knew I needed my CPC (Certified Professional Coder certification) so I went through [ANU]. I’m glad I did! I like the support I’ve had.”

“Sherry Davis is probably my favorite person. She was my biggest supporter. Like, before my [certification] exam, I was freaking out. And she was like, �you got this!’ She was the first person I told [that] I passed… She was just great!”

“I did have a great experience with ANU,” she explained, reflecting back on her diploma program, “I love the Zoom classes, I like being able to talk to people and having my classmates [around].” Even though she’s already gone through a program prior, she still gained a lot of knowledge and support she needed to succeed from ANU. She explains in her career that she now audits codes doctors put in. Ěý“In the place I’m in now, [the doctors] do all of the coding. I just make sure it’s correct!” She says. This kind of work is something she’s been able to achieve with the education she’s had and the experience she has put into her career.

Her future goals, now that she’s earned her CPC certification, are to continue to work her career and to enjoy her life with a flexible career. She hopes one day to work remotely so she can travel the world, “and I want my job to be able to go with me!”

Would she recommend ANU to others looking to get into Medical Billing and Coding? “I would! I like the support I had from my advisors… they always reach out! Any questions I’ve had, they’ve always been answered.” She even goes on to say that her professors have been great. “I’ve enjoyed all of my professors… they’re just willing to help, and they encourage you, and they support you. Especially Sherry Davis!”

She gives advice to her fellow classmates about the journey it may take to get their perfect career.

“[The jobs] are there, they just want people with experience. You get experience by starting somewhere… school will teach you blue, red, pink, yellow, and black. Working in it is going to teach you turquoise, teal, lime green, hot pink, baby pink, sky blue – it’s going to teach you all the shades of colors… schooling [and experience] is so important.”

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Originally from Syria, Rama moved to the United States with her family in 2016, eager to build a better future. As a wife and mother, she wanted to earn a degree that would help her reach her career goals while balancing family life after having to put her education on pause during her pregnancy. Upon exploring different opportunities in the medical field, she came across Â鶹Éç’s Medical Assisting associate degree program and knew it was the right fit for her. “One of [ANU’s] advisors really helped me. He directed me through the whole program… I told him about my situation that I have a baby, like my schedule is not always as I need it to be. He was like, â€�yeah, you can do morning classes! Or if that doesn’t work, you can do evening classes.’ And I was like, â€�okay, that’s amazing, that’s what I’m looking for!’â¶Äť She explains. As Rama has always had her eyes on the medical field, this program allows her to get her foot into the door and earn more as she desires.

“I love the medical field. I’m so excited since I’m getting to the end of the degree because now we have hands-on stuff. We’re looking more into things in detail and I’m not just learning about the overall human body. We’re now doing blood pressure, we’re doing some injections – that gets me so excited! I always tell my husband, â€�oh my gosh, I have a lab kit coming! I’m so excited to see what’s in it!’â¶Äť

With her excitement in her courses, Rama was also pleasantly surprised to learn that her lab kits were included in her tuition, and she didn’t have to pay out of pocket to obtain the material she needed to learn in her courses. “When I started the program, and the teacher told us. �yeah you have to send us the address and we’re sending [lab]kits.’ I was like, �are you sure I don’t have to pay anything?!’ And she was like, �no! This is through the program.’ I really appreciated that, it’s really helping me,” she describes with laughter. This is one of the main reasons she stayed with ANU, because she could get the hands-on training she wanted without having to leave her daughter or change her schedule.

Rama has really been grateful to learn from her professors’ previous work experiences. Because ANU has career trained professors and instructors leading their classes, students can benefit from real world experiences through instruction. “I love how they tell us these experiences, their experiences, because that’s what really sticks [in my] mind… if you heard it from someone else, then you’ll know how to react when it happens to you,” she says. In particular, Traci Dingle made an impact on Rama’s education through her engaging Zoom sessions in Ethics. “Her Zooms – I was always excited for it!” She smiles, “she made us all excited because we were all engaging in the [ethics] situation… I really, really enjoyed her class.” Additionally, Rama enjoyed Dr. Stephanie Denton in her Anatomy and Physiology course:

“She is super! I love her. She always tells us examples and made it so simple and easy to understand… She always tells us stories, she has a lot of experience that she shares with us.” She also explains that Stephanie made things easier for her as English isn’t her native language – “It’s sometimes hard to understand some grammar and some words that are new to [me], but she always makes it simple to understand.”

Within the next ten years, Rama hopes to spend as much time with her daughter as she can. She plans to stick with medical assisting for a while in order to evaluate her goals at every step of life. “I see myself working part-time and then continuing my education,” she explained.

Would she recommend ANU to others? She already has! “I recommended [ANU] to my sister… I was like �it’s 100% online and you can do things [hands-on]!’ That was like the most important things for me… The instructors are so, so, so good! They help out a lot.” She goes on to describe her experiences in other colleges before ANU. “I used to send an email and not get an answer. I used to send an email and get a late, late answer and that was when the due date was over… Whenever I text any of the instructors here [at ANU], they get back to me within 24 hours. I never get late, late replies or not helpful answers. I told [my sister] all of these things.” Her sister has since signed up for ANU and she’s “so happy and she’s excited for everything!”

Her advice to new ANU students: “Look at everything on Sundays. Sunday is the day where every [assignment] is there… I start early so I have time. I always get on Zoom [sessions], I never missed any Zoom. I ask questions if I didn’t understand the things going on – I can send a message privately if I don’t want the whole class knowing… Do your work on time, attend the Zoom, and go from there!” Rama emphasizes the importance of being active in Zoom sessions so that you can absorb all of the knowledge you need that may come up in later assignments, tests, and even within your career later on.

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Kaitlyn’s Journey with ANU

After moving away from home in Massachusetts to build a life with her husband states away, Kaitlyn Pennington set her sights on an education that would align with her dreams for a meaningful career. With her husband’s unwavering support, she embarked on a journey to find the perfect program at the right school. Her path at ANU began in the Medical Billing and Coding program and soon transitioned to Administrative Medical Assisting, demonstrating her determination to find the best fit for her goals. Now, Kaitlyn celebrates the completion of her MBA—a remarkable culmination of hard work and dedication—while returning to her Medical Billing and Coding program beginning to further enrich her healthcare-focused education. Inspired by the memory of her grandfather’s belief in her potential, Kaitlyn’s story is one of perseverance, passion, and the transformative power of education to build a brighter future.

When purchasing her first home in Kentucky with her husband, Kaitlyn was inspired to pursue a career in healthcare, influenced by her mother’s work in a nursing home. While working at Kentucky Medical Services Foundation, she met a coworker who was a professional medical coder, sparking her interest in the field. A quick Google search led her to ANU, where she began exploring opportunities in Medical Billing and Coding. However, after discovering her true calling, Kaitlyn’s student advisor guided her to transition into ANU’s Administrative Medical Assistant program. “I told my husband about [the program]. He was like, “oh my god, that sounds exactly like you… I ended up switching over and I really liked it,” she explains. Kaitlyn even took her finals and certification exams just days after having her first son with the flexibility of our online programs. “And that solidified it for me that I was like, â€�you know what? If I can do all that, then I can go ahead and get my bachelor’s. I can go ahead and get my master’s.’ So it just gave me the push to want to continue on!”

Going to school with two young children is no easy feat for any student, but Kaitlyn used her children as her motivators to keep going. What really helped her through it all was the understanding of her professors. While attending her MBA program, she had her second son while also caring for her oldest as a toddler. She was worried about having to go off camera or care for her children would affect her grades. However, “But Dr. Mary Tan was amazing throughout the whole time, even Dr. Dominika Falsey [too]. And I reached out to them just to let them know how appreciative I was of them, because having someone in your corner like that when you’re going through a difficult graduate degree is really important,” she says.

Even more so, Kaitlyn feels incredibly grateful for Professor Rhonda Brewer. Rhonda’s guidance throughout her education helped her get through the toughest parts of her degree path. “When I was doing my bachelor’s program, she was pretty much my go to person for everything,” she says with a smile, “I definitely wouldn’t have been able to remain in such good spirits, I think, if it weren’t for her guidance.” And with Rhonda’s encouragement, Kaitlyn knew she could earn her MBA.

“And then I just so happened to have these other excellent professors when I was in my master’s, and that’s what made me really appreciate the school… I made lifelong friends from the institution, and I had such good professors just throughout the whole process. [I feel] lucky to have been given all of the opportunities because they kind of all just fell into place for me and I just kind of branched out from there.”

Kaitlyn’s grandfather is the one who motivated her to earn her education as he is the only other person in her family who earned a graduate degree. Family has always been important to her – she moved back home to be closer to her parents and in-laws after her father had a health scare – and the inspiration from her grandfather kept her going. “I had just started going back to school and he was praising me so much. He was telling me, �you know what, kid? This is what I always told you. You just keep going.’ And the one phrase that he would always say is, �aim high and be all you can be.’” She reminds herself of his inspiration even after his passing by keeping a picture he kept of her on his desk with that same quote. This is the advice she would give any student looking to earn their education – from diploma to master’s.

Would she recommend ANU to others? “Yes, I would and yes, I already have!”

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