Bobby Moore’s Experience with ANU
Pikeville, Kentucky native, Bobby Moore, wanted a change in his career after spending nearly twenty-five years as an EMT. Knowing about American National University because of our campus in Pikeville, Bobby went browsing through our programs. He decided to take a few online courses in our Paralegal associate degree program and decided to jump in fully after meeting some of the professors, including Dean Wendy Notz. With his dedication to his studies, Bobby has earned the title of Term Trailblazer for term 244, nominated by Linda Bernhardt!
After spending decades in the healthcare field, Bobby knew he wanted to change careers. He wanted to pursue something different, and that’s where ANU’s Paralegal program gave him the opportunity to find that change. “I applied, I did all of my stuff online and within no time, I’ve got a call from somebody, and they actually set up a meeting – a phone interview with Dean Notz,” he explains about his process entering ANU, “we went over my background, why I wanted to take the course. She does a pretty good little lecture with you about how important it is.” And from his acceptance and joining his classes, he says that “everything was just falling into place.” In the entire process, he found he had no problems transitioning into the program. “I’ve never had any issues with financial aid or any of those kind of parts with ANU… it was just a smooth transition going into my first couple of classes.”
Bobby enjoys attending ANU because of the flexibility it gives him within his life and responsibilities.
“It was just easy and for me not being a traditional student, it was just so much easier for me to get used to the way that we did our assignments, the way that we had our Zoom classes. I was still able to be a dad and do everything else that I needed to do. But I could also take all my classes,” he explains.
He explains that as a parent, he gets pulled in so many directions that the ability to attend classes online has been a game changer for him earning his education while being there for his family. “It’s laid back, but it’s also structured. I’m not having to wake up and go into a classroom every day… honestly I feel like more people who work jobs and who have family life – if they understood how it worked, I think more people would be interested in taking online classes.”
He explains in his classes that having professors who truly understand the material has been a game changer for his learning experience. In one of his more recent terms, he studied intellectual properties, and he described the class was very intense and one of the more difficult classes he’s had. However, his professor, Cristi Conrick, made it easy for him to comprehend and complete his classes.
“Where she worked in that field already, it was just so easy to understand. Had we not have had somebody that had that real life experience, it would have been a lot more difficult. But that was one of my favorite classes that I’ve taken so far.”
Every professor that Bobby has had in his educational journey has been a lifeline for him, a person to add to his network, and has given him the knowledge he needs to reach his goals. “All the professors that I’ve had so far, like the last class or they’ll send out an email and just be like, ‘this is my phone number. Once you’re my student, you’re always my student. If you have anything, if you need any help with anything, just message to me’.” And not only that, but he is also meeting students from across the nation to bond with and to develop a professional network.
Bobby’s future goals include going to school to earn his bachelor’s degree in legal studies. Additionally, he has found that he one day wants to teach these legal studies to other students. “I’d actually talked to Dean Notz about what the steps would be for me to possibly come back and teach some classes with the program. Because I feel like ANU has been great for me and I know there’s other people out there that would be great fit for classes like that.”
Would he recommend ANU to others?
“Absolutely. I would tell [students about] the paralegal program I love, but also [I have] some really good friends that have went through the nursing program. And the ANU campus here in Pikeville is phenomenal for the nurses that they’re putting out there in the field. All around, ANU is a great place to go, and I would advise anybody if they’re looking for it to at least give it a chance.”
His advice to new students is to don’t forget the small stuff. “It is the simple things. You’ve got your discussion posts, and you’ve got your responses that you have to respond back to somebody. Those are simple points – you answer a question and then you respond back to somebody and it’s simple. But if you don’t do that initial work at the end of the term, it’s gonna catch up with you.” He explains that students should take the time to make sure they have all assignments in, no matter how small. He also emphasizes, “if you’re in the paralegal program, cite your sources!”
