After first graduating from American National University when it was known as National Business College in 2000 with an associate degree in accounting, Stephanie Holley built a career in the tax field before stepping away to focus on raising and homeschooling her two sons. Over the years, life brought both challenges and change — from navigating multiple sclerosis and breast cancer to facing major personal transitions later in life. Determined to create a new path for herself and driven by her faith, she returned to ANU at 53 to pursue a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration Management, inspired by a desire to build a stable future and step confidently into a leadership role. Her hard work has not only deemed her a Term Trailblazer for Term 258 but has her inducted into the National Technical Honor Society at ANU!

While Stephanie enjoyed her time as a medical transcriptionist, the role she was in was being phased out. And after some thought, she said to herself, “why not return to ANU?” Upon her research, she found that we moved our business programs online, a big change since she attended in the early 2000s. “The fact that I could do it all at home, and I am so used to doing everything at home – I really enjoy it! When I saw that I could do it all online, and, of course, the financial aid, I’m like, ‘okay, this is what I’m supposed to be doing,” she explains with a smile. She also goes on to explain that her switch from accounting to management was to help her better her work with people and how to lead and supervise them. “I thought, ‘why not go back to ANU?’ when I found out they’re now a university instead of a college!”

“Having the Zoom classes is huge! I wouldn’t think it would make that big of a difference, but it does… I have learned so much just taking the six classes I have taken – but I am looking forward to getting my degree!”

In Stephanie’s time at ANU this time around, she has been impacted by her professors and the way they teach their courses. One that stands out to her is Dr. Steven Stoddard. “I graduated the first time with a 4.0, and I thought I would like to do that [now], but I’m 53 years old, my mind’s been affected by MS, there’s no way,” she begins to explain. “But Dr. Stoddard – I mean, I have become a better writer because of him… he really took what was in the reading and he made it applicable.” She goes on to explain how he made learning more than just reading from a textbook. “The first class I had him was Customer Service Management. And I thought the things I learned in that class I am taking that, because part of my job will be to start new businesses. I will take that and what I learned about how to segment your customers and everything – and that were things that were practical, and you don’t quite get it in the reading, but once you go through the Zoom class and doing the assignments, that’s what really put it in perspective.” While she entered class with apprehension, she left it with more knowledge and understanding than she could have guessed, and it’s made her both a stronger student, but a stronger future employee.

“I have embraced AI because I use it for research. I try to keep an AI journal to turn in with each assignment to say I use this for research. So just learning that kind of thing – that’s something I never would’ve even tried had I not been in school [at ANU].”

Stephanie’s goals after graduation reflect the journey she has been on to get here. “Hopefully still cancer free,” she begins, “and not getting any worse with my MS, because that can rear its ugly head at any time… just running this non-profit and, I guess the biggest thing is, to answer God’s calling for my life.” Upon her graduation, Stephanie talks about having a job lined up with a non-profit organization. “And so this happens to be part of it. I have been called to help run this non-profit. I want to honor Him with that calling and to help people to make their lives better… to make the world a better place and this is a steppingstone to that, by getting my degree and learning what I do need to know about taking on this endeavor.”

Would she recommend ANU to others? “Oh I definitely would! It’s been a great experience for me,” she says. She explains the differences between going on campus 26 years ago to her online experience now. “It’s casual, there’s been times I just want to wear my [pajamas], and I couldn’t do that if I were going on campus! It’s nice not to have to drive.” She also appreciates the structure of ANU. “I enjoy that the fact that it’s terms and not semesters. It seems like you do more classes in a year [with ANU] than you would if you were doing a semester.”

Her advice to new students who join ANU includes “keep an open mind and embrace technology, especially someone in their 40s or 50s, if you’re gonna go back to school, get to know the technology – because it’s going to be a big part of your life, and I think it’s going to be a big part of the future no matter what we do… Hard work pays off, and you’re never to old to go back to accomplish your dreams.”

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