A continued journey: Trevecca’s flexible degree options help student pursue career goals

February 12, 2020

Mary Beth Seals is originally from Fayetteville, Tennessee, about 90 miles south of Nashville, and she said she couldn’t imagine growing up in a better place. 

“We have the sweetest little small-town community where you find that family and community go hand in hand. And there is almost always something to do,” she said. “I couldn’t imagine myself anywhere else.”

So, when it came time for her to go to college, Seals was sure that she didn’t want to go away for school. She wanted to stay in the community she’d known for her whole life—and luckily for her, Motlow State Community College had an option that met her needs.  

“I was never going to be the student that went off to school and spent the night in a dorm and left her mom and dad and family, and I was OK with that,” she said. “I always knew Motlow was an option because it was close by, and when it came time for me to go to school, I was able to work and still get my education.” 

At Motlow State, Seals earned her associate in mass communications. Through Trevecca’s partnership with the college, she was able to complete her bachelor’s degree. Created for non-traditional students who depend on flexibility, Trevecca’s Bachelor of Arts in management and leadership allows working adults juggling work, family, school and other commitments to complete their degrees in the format that’s most convenient for them.

“When I saw that Trevecca offered a program through Motlow, I knew immediately it was the answer for me. I got married [during] my last year at Motlow, and, a year later, I became a young mom,” she said. “Trevecca’s program allowed me to spend time with my family, work and pursue my education. It truly met all my needs.”

That was in 2006. Now, after a number of years working in healthcare administration, Seals is a Trevecca student once again, this time pursuing her master’s in business administration through Motlow. 

Trevecca’s Master of Business Administration program, offered one night a week on campus and online, is specifically designed for working professionals seeking the credentials needed to obtain a better job, earn a promotion or change career paths altogether. With integrity and competency at the core, the MBA program prepares every student to become a leader in any business marketplace. The cohort model allows students to start and complete their degrees alongside a group of classmates working toward the same goal in the same timeframe—whether online or on campus. 

Caitlyn Combs, enrollment counselor and advisor at the School of Graduate and Continuing Studies, is based on Motlow’s Moore County campus. She says Trevecca’s MBA program is perfect for busy, working adults who are looking to complete a degree at an accelerated pace.

“The program takes two years or less to complete and doesn’t compromise a student’s time with their jobs and families. Our programs through Trevecca are taught by experienced professionals and allow students to gain leadership knowledge and skills that can be applied in the real world,” Combs said. “[Trevecca’s programs] allow students to achieve their goals, complete a degree that matches their learning style and schedule and apply what they are learning to everyday situations.”

In her new position as the director of physician practices with Tennova Healthcare in Tullahoma, Tennessee, Seals said she’s already using what she’s learned from her program. The program prepares graduate students to be successful in any career, equipping students with skills in critical thinking, oral and written communication, research and analysis.

“Trevecca does a great job of showing you firsthand the things you are going to experience, whether you’re doing the work now or whether you have goals to work in business,” she said. “[My cohort and I] have completed eight of the 13 courses. Through them all, I have loved learning more about who I am and, more importantly, what all I still have left to become. I find myself fortunate as I sit back and watch while God blesses both me and all my classmates through this journey.”

Seals said her at-home support system is wonderful. When she got to Trevecca, Seals says, that system just got bigger through her cohort and the network of professors both at the Motlow campus and at Trevecca. 

“People are willing to help when they see that things are important to you,” she said. “Each professor is looking at you across the classroom with the understanding that you’ve worked an 8-hour day, and you’ve left your children at home. They understand that you are exhausted, but they still push you because they know what you are capable of. With each course comes new challenges, but with each new challenge, a lesson, and I look forward to this continued journey because I know it is in God’s plans for me.” 

Learn more about Trevecca’s MBA program, offered online and on campus.

Media contact: Mandy Crow, 615-248-1695