A motivated and driven individual, Phyllis Grover would never dream of giving up her education, even during adverse and challenging times in her life.
“I was a single, divorced mother of two sons, and I had the desire to go to college but I did not have the financial ability or the time to enroll as a full-time student,” Grover reflected. Despite these roadblocks, she took what little money and time she had and first enrolled into a local community college where she could attend classes at night, after work and on weekends. Grover described the experience as difficult, but she remained determined to further herself academically despite the fact that it took time away from her family and required some organization and scheduling commitments.
She then discovered Columbia Southern University and the opportunities that online courses afforded her.
As one who enjoys working with multiple projects, Grover has always admired business professionals and project managers, which is why she chose to pursue a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a concentration in project management. This degree program falls right in line with her goals to continue working within local government and pursue a city manager position. Grover describes herself as outgoing, hard-working, and a “master at grant writing and research.” If one’s plans include any measure of success, these are excellent qualities and skills to have.
Currently, Grover is the director of planning and community development for the city of Aberdeen in Maryland. She began her career with the city in 1982 as a secretary, full of ambition and determined to create a stable life for herself and her two boys. Since that time, she has managed to approach completion of her bachelor’s program while learning everything she can about how local governments operate. Pursuing her education has been a gradual process, but the pace will not deter Grover from persisting on and following her dreams. She plans to complete this degree before enrolling into the MBA program at Columbia Southern University. Grover may acknowledge that she is a hard worker, but one could also describe her as being a great role model to her family. She is now working, studying, and reaching her goals, all while helping her two boys through college.
Grover admits that the flexibility of earning an online degree has offered her the most direct path to accomplishing what she set out to do. When prompted to reflect on her decision to continue with her education, she stated, “I feel that CSU has prepared and guided me in the right direction for my future success.”
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