Meet Alumna Megan Fertig
Before AU
Megan had gone to college and was working as an educational assistant at a public school. “Although I loved my job, I knew there was no room for advancement,” she says. “I wanted something more for myself.”
So Megan enrolled in AU’s human services degree, which prepares people for more senior roles in child and youth care, social services and other related fields. Because it’s a post-diploma degree, and she’d completed a college diploma that AU accepted for transfer, she was halfway through her degree when she started taking AU courses.
“I decided to take one course at a time and power through it in a month, and I was able to finish my degree in under three years.”
During AU
AU’s undergraduate courses are self-paced, meaning students can complete them more quickly than the traditional four months if they’re up to the challenge. Megan was — she took a break from full-time work and charged through one course a month.
“I was able to take in the information more so than if I was juggling five courses,” she says. “Even though it was challenging, it was a positive experience. I enjoyed being in control of when I learned, what I learned and how I learned. And whenever I needed help with course registration or clarification of course materials, I always knew I could count on AU staff to guide me in the right direction.”
After AU
Since graduating, Megan has moved into an assistant director position at an out-of-school care facility and plans to become a director someday. “I wouldn’t be where I am today if I didn’t have my degree,” she says, adding that doing a university degree through distance learning also helped her grow on both a personal level and an intellectual one. “I feel like I can accomplish anything as long as I set my mind to it.”
