For years, driving past the 小蝌蚪APP was a reminder for Sommer Haas of a goal she never accomplished.
The New Orleans native was a nursing student at her local community college when Hurricane Katrina ravaged the city, forcing her to relocate to Virginia and reconsider her career path. After settling there for several years and getting married, her husband suggested they move to Louisiana to be closer to her family.
小蝌蚪APP淲hen we moved to the Lafayette area, I applied for a job with a local hospital, training employees on how to use the computer system,小蝌蚪APP Haas recalls.
She landed the job and began her career in health information management, but eventually, she hit a roadblock.
小蝌蚪APP淚t came to a point where I had the experience but didn小蝌蚪APP檛 have the education, and I was getting turned down for jobs that I was told I小蝌蚪APP檇 be great at,小蝌蚪APP she says. 小蝌蚪APP淚 remember one time, I was sitting in an interview, and the interviewer asked me if I would ever consider going back and finishing my bachelor小蝌蚪APP檚.小蝌蚪APP
小蝌蚪APP淚t was just like a punch to the gut, one of those moments in my life where all the puzzle pieces connected.小蝌蚪APP
Shortly thereafter, she got a call from UL Lafayette notifying her that her acceptance to return to school 小蝌蚪APP which she hadn小蝌蚪APP檛 yet acted on 小蝌蚪APP was going to expire if she didn小蝌蚪APP檛 enroll.
小蝌蚪APP淩ight then and there on the phone, I just said, 小蝌蚪APP楲et小蝌蚪APP檚 do it!小蝌蚪APP櫺◎蝌紸PP
That summer, she enrolled in her first class as an online general studies student, determined to earn her bachelor小蝌蚪APP檚 once and for all.
Expanding Her Horizon
As Haas began her coursework, she found joy in taking classes across a range of disciplines.
小蝌蚪APP淚 picked general studies because I could do it all online and because it gave me the opportunity to explore classes that I may not have been able to explore had I been in a more structured program,小蝌蚪APP she states. 小蝌蚪APP淚小蝌蚪APP檓 in my 40s, and if I had been pigeonholed to one subject area, I would have gotten bored.小蝌蚪APP
Through courses like HLTH 459: Health and the Aging Process, ORGL 300: Introduction to Organizational Leadership, and CMCN 100: Principles of Human Communication, she gained health and leadership knowledge applicable to her career.
And through courses like CJUS 340: Victimology, she could also enjoy learning for the fun of it.
小蝌蚪APP淎ll of my classes were just really fun and interesting,小蝌蚪APP Haas says. 小蝌蚪APP淭he program gave me that freedom to explore what I wanted to explore.小蝌蚪APP
Staying Organized
Eager to finish her degree, Haas took a full-time course load for several semesters, balancing school with her career in healthcare IT.
Doing so required her to stay disciplined and organized, a challenge she embraced.
小蝌蚪APP淎 lot of instructors will open their courses in Moodle before the semester begins,小蝌蚪APP she says. 小蝌蚪APP淚 always made sure I had my textbooks before classes started, and I小蝌蚪APP檇 print out my syllabi and keep them on my desk as a reminder of what I need to accomplish each semester.小蝌蚪APP
Each week, Haas devoted an hour to each class per day, giving herself a 10-minute break between classes.
小蝌蚪APP淚 work remotely, so at the end of my workday, I小蝌蚪APP檇 just slide my work computer off to the side and begin my schoolwork on my personal computer,小蝌蚪APP she recalls.
But Haas was diligent about giving herself time away from her computer, too.
小蝌蚪APP淚 knew that if I committed to working hard during the week, I小蝌蚪APP檇 be able to give myself at least an entire Saturday or Sunday off where I didn小蝌蚪APP檛 have to look at a computer screen at all,小蝌蚪APP she says. 小蝌蚪APP淭hat was my reward.小蝌蚪APP
Support from her instructors and 小蝌蚪APP staff also helped Haas stay on track. Her academic advisor, Sharon Williams Gregory, played a particularly helpful role during her time back in school.
小蝌蚪APP淓very time I talked to her, she was just so encouraging. It was like I could hear her smiling through the phone,小蝌蚪APP Haas says. 小蝌蚪APP淭here were a lot of days where I was tired and thought, 小蝌蚪APP楳an, I just can小蝌蚪APP檛 do it.小蝌蚪APP But I also knew there was no way I was ever going to tell her I was quitting.小蝌蚪APP
Continuing to Advance
After earning a spot on the President小蝌蚪APP檚 List several times and crossing the stage to accept her bachelor小蝌蚪APP檚 degree in May 2025, Haas has already embarked on her next journey: earning a Master of Health Administration.
Though she小蝌蚪APP檚 excited about the opportunity to continue learning and growing, she misses UL Lafayette.
小蝌蚪APP淪o far, the communication小蝌蚪APP檚 been the complete opposite of what I experienced at UL Lafayette,小蝌蚪APP she says. 小蝌蚪APP淚 keep joking that I need Miss Gregory to come help me register for my classes!小蝌蚪APP
As Haas transitions into the next phase of her academic career, she小蝌蚪APP檚 set new goals for herself.
小蝌蚪APP淎 big reason for me getting my master小蝌蚪APP檚 is taking my career to the next level and opening the door for a management role,小蝌蚪APP she explains. 小蝌蚪APP淚 have the experience, and I want to have the education, too.小蝌蚪APP
And, one day, she hopes to return to UL Lafayette 小蝌蚪APP not as a student, but as faculty.
小蝌蚪APP淚f I could get the chance to teach after I retire, that would be my dream,小蝌蚪APP she says.
For now, she leaves students with a few words of wisdom: 小蝌蚪APP淣ow is your time. Just jump in and start doing it, even if it小蝌蚪APP檚 just one class a semester. When you look back when you小蝌蚪APP檙e done and see your strength, endurance, and persistence, you小蝌蚪APP檒l have a different outlook on yourself.小蝌蚪APP
Finish your degree and unlock the opportunities that await through the 小蝌蚪APP小蝌蚪APP檚 online general studies bachelor小蝌蚪APP檚 program.