When Egbeichi Egwu Okoro enrolled in the MBA program at American National University, she was balancing more than just coursework—she was navigating the field of corporate law in both the United States and Nigeria. What she found in the program reshaped not only her professional path, but her confidence in what she could achieve. She happily paints in her free time and advises other creative people on their intellectual property rights. Her work in the corporate world inspired her to dive into the business side with her education. Egbeichi’s dedication has earned her the title of Term Trailblazer for Term 258!

Question: Why Did You Choose ANU for Your Education? How Did You Find Us?

Answer: I found ANU through a colleague and upon doing my research, I realized that ANU’s curriculum was exactly what I needed.

Q: Why Did You Choose Your Program?

A: While my legal background has given me a deep understanding of business law, I chose this MBA program to solidify my business acumen and bridge the gap between my current experience and long-term goals, ultimately allowing me to better drive organizational outcomes.

Q: Where Do You Work? What Are Your Daily Responsibilities?

A: I work full-time for consulting firms where my daily responsibilities span from advisory to strategic implementation. While I secured my current role through independent initiative, my experience at ANU has significantly expanded my professional toolkit, enabling me to deliver more impactful, data-driven results for my clients.

Q: Do You Think ANU is Preparing You for the Work of Your Program?

A: Absolutely! ANU’s curriculum focuses on cross-functional knowledge to help leaders solve complex, parodical problems, a daily reality in my field. Additionally, by systematically embedding research skills into every course, the program ensures output is always grounded in rigorous, data-driven frameworks.

Q: How is Your Overall Experience with ANU? Do Any Moments Stick Out That You Will Take with You When You Graduate?

A: A moment that sticks out is an intensive project in Financial Management where I had to lead a cross-functional team under tight deadlines. Coming from a legal background, I initially focused on risk mitigation. However, collaborating with peers from finance and tech challenged me to pivot toward value creation. That shift in mindset, from being a ‘protector’ of assets to a ‘driver’ of growth, is something I will carry into every client engagement.

Q: Are There Classes or Instructors Who Made Positive Impacts on You?

A: Two professors were particularly impactful. Dr. Racquel Thompson-Best in Business Research taught me to use data to buttress my professional recommendations, while Dr. Traci Dingle in Legal Environment of Business helped me reframe my legal background as a strategic tool for value creation. Their courses provided the foundation for shifting my mindset from a risk-focused advisor to a driver of organizational growth.

Q: What Do You Like Most About ANU?

A: What I appreciate most is the immediacy of the curriculum. I can take a framework from Monday’s exercises and apply it to a client project on Tuesday. It’s not just academic theory, it’s about functional expertise that I can use in real-time.

Q: What Are Your Future Goals? Where Do You See Yourself in 5-10 Years?

A: In the short term, I plan to move into senior strategic roles where I can apply the frameworks from my MBA to manage more complex business operations. Looking ahead 5 to 10 years, I see myself in an executive leadership position, using my combined legal and business expertise to drive large-scale organizational growth. My focus is simply to become a versatile leader capable of navigating both the commercial and regulatory sides of a major enterprise.

Q: Would You Recommend ANU to Others Looking to Earn Their Higher Education? If so, why?

A: I would definitely recommend the program to professionals who want a practical, practitioner-led education. What sets ANU apart is the immediate ROI; the curriculum is designed so that you can take a framework from the courses offered and apply it to your work the very next day. It’s an ideal environment for those looking to sharpen their existing expertise with functional business acumen.

Q: What Advice Do You Have for New ANU Students?

A: My biggest piece of advice is to engage with the faculty early. Professors like Dr. Racquel Thompson-Best and Dr. Traci Dingle bring immense real-world experience to the classroom, and their insights can help you reframe your perspective far beyond the textbook. Also, be prepared to step out of your comfort zone; the real value of the program comes when you stop thinking like a specialist and start thinking like an integrated business leader.

The post Looking Beyond the Law appeared first on American National University.

Long Beach, California, native Siedra Johnson built her life around caring for others—both professionally and personally. Working as a direct support professional, she assists elderly individuals with their daily activities, a role that reflects her natural compassion and dedication. Raised by her grandmother, she grew up with a strong sense of resilience and creativity, often finding joy in creative ventures. Surrounded by a supportive boyfriend, family, and her two stepchildren, she found fulfillment in caregiving careers like home health, where helping others brought her a deep sense of purpose. Although she excelled in school, she once stepped away from her education—until the memory of her grandmother, who always believed she had what it took to work in healthcare, inspired her to pursue that dream with renewed determination. She joined American National University’s online Medical Assisting program to pursue her passions. With her dedication, Siedra was named a Term Trailblazer for Term 258!

When she made the decision to return to school, she began researching programs online, determined to find the right fit for her goals. It didn’t take long for American National University to stand out. “ANU was just on it! They answered all my questions, everything was [sic] timely, everybody was nice and very helpful… I got a good vibe from everybody, it just felt right,” she shared. That positive first impression was only strengthened by her experience with her admissions representative, I’Kea, who played a key role in making the process feel manageable and personal. “I’Kea was very supportive and she understood little things I had going on, she would work around it, I would work around her schedule, it was very cool!”

Throughout her time in the program, Siedra found encouragement and support from her instructors, including Carrie Rodriguez, Dr. Stephanie Denton, and Andrew Halverson. However, one professor who made a particularly lasting impact was Abby Chelstowski, especially during a challenging term when balancing school, work, and life became overwhelming. “She worked with me for Term 258! It was hard! It was like – I wouldn’t say it was hard, it was just with work and the things I had to turn in – I was exhausted! I started procrastinating a lot. And most professors won’t get into depth… she was like, ‘hey, you didn’t turn this in, if you don’t turn in something, you’re gonna have to repeat all of this!’ I was probably like four or five weeks in [a term], she would open things back up for me… I would get it done,” she explained. In reflecting on her time in Professor Abby’s class, she smiled and said, “she was just like, ‘Sisi relax, you got this!’ She was just so supportive, it didn’t seem like she got irritated by my questions… She was always nice and prompt and I love her! She really got me here at this point.”

“I think they, for some positions, they probably overly prepare us for!”

Her future goals include working in a unit for children or within a clinic to give back to her community. “I would love to have an opportunity to work with babies!” She enthuses.

Would she recommend ANU to others? “I definitely would. Especially the busy person who [sic] can’t physically go into a school, that are working or busy with homelife… [With ANU], you can move how you want to, just make sure you get it done. I would definitely recommend it, it’s ten out of ten. And it’s a great online school!”

Her advice to new students: “Come to class, make time for your work, study but don’t overstudy, and just make sure you’re paying attention to all of the material the professors are posting. Check your emails to keep yourself on top of everything.”

The post Back to School, Forward in Purpose appeared first on American National University.

After dedicating 14 years as a full-time caregiver to her three special needs children, Vernee Thompson made the decision to return to school and pursue a Paralegal associate degree at American National University. Married for 16 years and supported by a strong network of family—including her husband, children, mother, siblings, and extended relatives—she approached her education with determination and purpose. Building on her previous bachelor’s degree, she chose to expand her skill set through ANU’s Paralegal program, demonstrating that it is never too late to pursue new professional goals. Her journey reflects resilience, commitment, and the impact of a strong support system in achieving academic and career success.

Her decision to pursue a career in the paralegal field was driven by both practicality and personal interest. After initially planning to earn a second bachelor’s degree, she discovered that her intended program had been dissolved, prompting her to explore alternative educational paths. With a long-standing interest in law, she began researching various legal services careers and identified the paralegal profession as a strong fit. She reviewed programs approved by the American Bar Association (ABA) to ensure quality and credibility. “And since I wasn’t able to attend in person because of children’s disabilities, I decided to see if there were any online schools that the American Bar Association approved of,” she explained. “One of them was American National University, so I reached out to them, they reached back out to me, and that’s how I got enrolled!”

Vernee also highlighted how ANU’s paralegal program expanded her understanding of the paralegal role, as well as prepared her for the realities of the workforce. She explained, “I feel like I – it was a really great course in legal services and legal theory, something I didn’t really think about. Because I’m thinking, ‘oh I’m just a paralegal, I’m just gonna be handling paperwork.’ Well, it’s more than that. You’re also interviewing clients, you’re handling confidential information, you communicating with the courts, you’re communicating with attorneys.” Additionally, learning from career-experienced professors deepened her understanding. “It prepares you for the life of working in a law office – and it helps that your professors are also lawyers, or former paralegals, or current paralegals! So they understood what needs to be done in a law office through our assignments and discussions to help us become paralegals.”

She also pointed to the hands-on tools incorporated into the program as a key part of her preparation, particularly the use of industry-standard legal research platforms like LexisNexis®, which she had access to within her courses. Reflecting on this experience, she shared: “Lexis+ is basically a subscription for legal aid – it helps you look up cases, it helps you research how the cases were decided, how it was treated – was it treated negatively and favorably by the courts – and it gives you the background information on the cases. Also you can use it look up cases – previous cases, supreme court cases, cases in your state, federal as well as state administrative laws, and different things like that. So it was a great, helpful tool… for legal students to use because if you go to your law firm.”

“[ANU] prepares you for life outside of school. It’s not just a bunch of theories, but its real world applications mixed with clinical evaluations when you’re doing your assignments and doing your discussions.”

Throughout her time in the program, she found consistent encouragement and guidance from her instructors, including the Paralegal program dean Wendy Notz, as well as professors teaching her law and business like Traci Dingle, Dr. Lyndsey Obringer, Sheri Clark, and Lisa Custer. Reflecting on their impact, she shared, “All of the professors at ANU have been phenomenal for me. I could reach out to them, they were available for me, to answer questions timely. No question was off limits, everything was clearly explained, and if I had trouble with something, they were very detailed and they were very open and honest with me. All of them were very inspirational for me. So there is not a single one that I could say – they all inspired me, every last one of my professors did.”

Vernee’s future goals are to continue to be a solid figure for her children. Since graduating from ANU, she wants to work within the realm of family law as it was something she focused on in her previous career of social services. However, she takes things day by day. “I take it as it comes, and I just try to live each day to the fullest – because tomorrow is not promised to anybody!”

Would she recommend to ANU to other students looking to earn their higher education? “Yes, I would! I like the ease of the program. It’s still intensive because [a term] is ten weeks. But you learn so much in those ten weeks… You learn synchronously and you learn asynchronously as well,” she explained. “You know I also would recommend it because there’s the flexibility. If you work days, they have night classes – if you work nights, they have day classes. And the professors are very accommodating! I’ve met cohorts in my classes who have full time jobs and are [sic] full-time parents and they still were able to do their work, they were still able to attend their classes.”

“I think no matter where I go in law, I feel like I am prepared more than I would have been if I had not gone to ANU.”

Vernee’s advice to new students: “I would suggest that they do their work – not try to do everything at one time but try to space it out. Know your deadlines. Just time manage. If you have trouble, go to the professors, they’re very accommodating.”

The post From Home to the Courtroom appeared first on American National University.

American National University is proud to recognize the exceptional academic success of our students. Each term, we celebrate those whose commitment to their education has earned them placement on the President’s List or Dean’s List—among the highest honors awarded by the university. Students who achieve a perfect 4.0 GPA are named to the President’s List, while those earning a GPA between 3.5 and 3.9 are honored on the Dean’s List. For Term 256, we applaud these dedicated individuals for their determination, effort, and academic excellence. Congratulations on this outstanding and well-deserved accomplishment!

The post Celebrating Academic Achievement: President’s and Dean’s List Recipients for Term 256 appeared first on American National University.

After fourteen years working as a medical assistant, including time as an office manager, Danielle wanted to focus on the behind-the-scenes portion of healthcare. She wanted to gain knowledge of health information programs to pivot her career, and also to aid her in her future goals of becoming a registered nurse. She chose ANU to get her to this next stage of her career. She joined the Health Information Management program for many reasons. “I chose ANU because, for one, I know that it’s veteran-owned, veteran-founded,” she says. She continues, “when I was researching, I wanted something that had multiple stars, not just general reviews. I wanted something that had strong reviews. And I knew with ANU – looking at the reviews for the college and on social media also – you just see the high reviews for the college. So, for me, that’s what stuck out. And seeing students’ reviews is a huge plus for me.”

Through her experiences with ANU, Danielle’s professors have always stood out to her. Not only is she learning the skills she needs to succeed in her future career, but they have always been there for her to rely on, even when she isn’t in their classes. One who really stands out is Sherry Davis, the very same professor who nominated her to be a Term Trailblazer for Term 254. “I’ve been happy so far! My professors are amazing, I love Mrs. Davis,” she explains. “She’s been there for me through everything, from the beginning to now. Any questions I have, I can just reach out to her with no problem.

It just makes me feel that I’m wanted there as a student – that’s huge!”

Not only that, but Tracy Dingle has stood out to her for the same reasons. “She has high expectations for us as a student, but also if there’s questions, then don’t think we can’t ask [them],” she says of Professor Dingle. No matter what the question is or what Danielle is looking for, her professors have stuck by her side. “They always said, ‘if you’re not in my class, or in any one of the classes I’m teaching, we’ll always be here. Just reach out’.”

In her classes, Danielle is also receiving the experience she needs to jump into the workforce. Through simulations, she has been able to practice the skills she’s learned within her classes. “And doing the simulations we have to do, right now, on the sims chart – it’s fun for me! I sit there and I zoom through a lot of them because I’m like, ‘this is just fun!’ Inputting data, inputting medical history – it’s intriguing to me,” she explains.

“So they’ll give us a patient chart and tell us exactly what to do to document it – under appointment, immunization records, office visits, insurance data – so you’re doing what you would actually be doing in the field! You’re getting the hands-on portion of it.”

Many of Danielle’s initial goals revolved around being there for her family. “My first goal was, obviously, CPC (Certified Professional Coder) in billing and coding. I surpassed that goal – I passed. Ultimately, my goal with that was to work from home and to be able to have the flexibility with my kids,” she says. Upon reaching that goal, Danielle had realized she wanted and could do more. “I’m always one of those that likes to have more than one certification or career – it makes me more well-rounded. So I decided, ‘okay, let me go back for my RHIT (Registered Health Information Technician)’ which will give me another step up with my CPC. Because I’m finding a lot of jobs – if you have both, you have a better opportunity at getting that job.” When she finishes her education at ANU, she hopes to work in a hospital setting. And then, in the future, she hopes to return to school to either become a registered nurse or to move into respiratory therapy, as she’s asthmatic and has been researching that field.

Something that is important to Danielle is the way she has returned to education even while taking care of her family. With children in sports and needing more healthcare, her life remains busy, but even so, she is pursuing education. “I am being that example for all four of my kids. If mommy can go back to school, and I can graduate, and I can get high honors, and I can have the 4.0 GPA – you can, too! It takes a little work ethic, it takes a little bit of effort, it takes the time to study, but anybody can do it. And I’m going to be that example for my kids.”

Would she recommend ANU to others? “I have – I’ve actually referred ANU to several people already! One, for the flexibility. Two, for the professors. And three, for the foundation of what they stand on and the education part of it. It’s worth it in the end.”

Her advice to new students: “Have a plan, have a calendar, you have got to set times aside – you got to [have] time management. You can’t just think you can whip through your assignments in one night – it’s not like that… You just got to take the time out and pick and choose what’s important to you. For me, it’s my classes and passing with a 4.0, and me learning and getting my education. And learning the material! The number one thing I can tell somebody is time management and play with the system until you get it down in what works for you, because everybody is going to be different.”

The post Being the Example: Danielle Garcia’s Path to Education at ANU appeared first on American National University.

The post Celebrating Academic Achievement: President’s and Dean’s List Recipients for Term 254 appeared first on American National University.

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 American National University 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.

The post From Art to Advocacy appeared first on American National University.

The post Celebrating Academic Achievement: President’s and Dean’s List Recipients for Term 252 appeared first on American National University.