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Adult student Kathryn McCormick came to ��������Ƶ after wanting a career change.

“I had been doing manual labor that was rather rough physically,” she says. “I was already having health issues because of it. What I was doing wasn’t sustainable.”

Her husband, Kevin McCormick, graduated from ��������Ƶ in 2007 as a biology major. Having heard about his experience influenced Kathryn’s decision to come to ��������Ƶ. 

Through the help of the Adult Degree Program, Kathryn earned her undergraduate degree in behavioral health this May. “I wasn’t aware of behavioral health until I started looking to go back to school,” she says. “The degree at ��������Ƶ covered everything I was interested in and would allow me to work in human services which was my end goal. The Adult Degree program made going back to school extremely easy.”

“The degree at ��������Ƶ covered everything I was interested in and would allow me to work in human services which was my end goal. The Adult Degree program made going back to school extremely easy.”

“Kathryn was an inspiring, motivated, and dedicated adult degree student,” says Julie Warnick, director of the Graduate and Adult Studies Office at ��������Ƶ. “She worked hard to earn very good grades while juggling her personal responsibilities. We are blessed that she chose ��������Ƶ University to continue her education and so very happy for her that she landed a job that suits her quite well. Kathryn will continue to do great things.”

While at ��������Ƶ, Kathryn had an internship with Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Laurel Region. “I thought of interning at Big Brothers Big Sisters because, growing up, my twin sister and I shared a Big Sister through the very same agency,” she says. “We found our way to this program because of the death of our mother, and the experience was amazing, not only for my sister and I, but for my father as well.” During her internship, Kathryn says she did a little bit of everything. “I did things I would have never thought of, like fundraising,” she says. “Turns out I love it!”

Kathryn’s internship transitioned into a career. She has been hired part-time as a mentoring coordinator. “I am currently working on a new program called Big Futures which will aim to assist mentees as they’re graduating high school,” she says. “We will provide resources, support, and encouragement as that is a difficult time for many of us to navigate.” 

“[Kathryn] embarked on the career path she had hoped for,” says James Paharik, sociology professor and coordinator of the Behavioral Health Program. “I am very proud of what she has accomplished, both in the classroom and in the field.”

Kathryn is one of four people at Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Laurel Region, and she enjoys it. “Being on a small staff means everyone does a bit of everything, and when someone needs extra help, everyone steps up to lend a hand,” she says.

“��������Ƶ not only prepared me for human services work, but I definitely received a well-rounded liberal arts education that has reminded me how much I like to learn and should continue doing so for the rest of my life,” she says. “Getting to go back to school as an adult is something I’m so thankful for, and ��������Ƶ has given me the confidence to pursue what makes me happy.”