{"id":5331,"date":"2016-12-01T11:00:59","date_gmt":"2016-12-01T17:00:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/stgwww.capella.edu\/blogs\/cublog\/?p=5331"},"modified":"2016-12-20T09:57:25","modified_gmt":"2016-12-20T15:57:25","slug":"flexpath-graduates-donald-and-tracy-dudley-journey-to-a-bachelors-degree","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stgwww.capella.edu\/blogs\/cublog\/flexpath-graduates-donald-and-tracy-dudley-journey-to-a-bachelors-degree\/","title":{"rendered":"Husband and Wife, Starting School Together"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cI didn\u2019t go back because life happened.\u201d \u2013 <\/em>Tracy Dudley<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t go back because of my commitment to my family.\u201d <\/em>\u2013 Donald Dudley<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Donald and Tracy Dudley have been married 11 years. She\u2019s worked nearly 30 years in a governmental role, while he recently took a job as a security engineer. In 2015, Tracy received a\u00a0Bachelor\u2019s in Business Administration<\/a>\u00a0and Donald received his Bachelor\u2019s in Information Technology<\/a> through\u00a0FlexPath<\/a>, Capella University\u2019s self-paced learning format.<\/p>\n

Although each of them felt a bachelor\u2019s degree was important, neither had completed one for various reasons.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Time, Money, Family<\/h4>\n

Tracy: \u201cI was a young, single mother at the same time I was in Rutgers University\u2019s Nursing Program in Newark, New Jersey. I decided that I needed to work versus giving up my money for tuition, books, and everything associated with school. Over the years, I thought about it often, and have taken classes here and there. But I never really fully committed to going back to school until a girlfriend introduced me to Capella University.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cI initially was hesitant about doing it because I had started my schooling over so many times and never finished, and I just didn\u2019t want to start something and not finish it again. So, when I actually registered I didn\u2019t even tell my husband about it, because I didn\u2019t think I would finish.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Donald: \u201cTen years ago, our blended family of five was just starting out and learning how to support one another. I don\u2019t think either of us was ready for school at that moment. Fast forward 10 years, we now have an empty house, giving us comfort and space to really be locked in on our education. <\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s definitely given us a different perspective on life and family.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

FlexPath Made the Difference<\/h4>\n

Both of them started programs at Capella in the GuidedPath format, but once they learned about FlexPath, there was no holding them back.<\/p>\n

Tracy: \u201cBecause of the flexibility of the FlexPath format, I knew I could finish and make myself and my entire family proud. <\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cFlexPath also allowed me as a professional, working woman to incorporate a lot of my life into my assessments. I tapped into some of my resources at work\u2014senior leaders or some of the committees that I chaired or co-chaired\u2014to help with some of the assignments.\u201d <\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

In fact, it was the success of the FlexPath approach that led Tracy to confess her secret to Donald, a secret that ultimately led him to follow her path.<\/p>\n

Tracy: \u201cA few months in, I really started feeling good about it, and said, oh, I think I can finish. So then I let him in on it, and his support from that point forward was just tremendous. I think me graduating a year ago really opened up his eyes as well.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

One of the most attractive features of FlexPath for both of them was the ability to go at their own pace. In Donald\u2019s case, that motivated him to move forward as quickly as he could.<\/p>\n

Donald: \u201cI completed my bachelor\u2019s, and am currently pursuing my master’s degree.”<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n