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Samantha on camera

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Samantha Slagle
BS, Business Administration

Samantha walks to table and opens laptop

Samantha typing

Samantha Slagle:
What do I like about UMGC, everything.

There's no other school that I've ever seen that makes it as feasible and as practical to be able to achieve your goals,

So, I was able to structure my schedule to be able to still show up in life, still show up as a mom and a wife, but also allow myself to be a student too.

Kionne walking with her family

Kionne on camera

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Kionne T. Abdul-Malik
BS, Information Systems Management

Kionne T. Abdul-Malik: 
It just felt amazing that it was somebody else out there that cared about my education.

The online portal was super easy for me to use, you just knew where to go for information.

Michael on camera

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Michael Hill
BS, Information Systems Management

Mike working at his desktop

Michael Hill:
I am a career user experience design professional. So, when I logged into the portal for the first time and saw how well structured it was, I was like, okay, here's a college that has invested heavily in an online learning system. It's logical, it's well organized.

As you progress through your tasks for the week, as well as the, you know, for the course itself, it shows you your overall progress.

Iscleidys on camera

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Iscleidys Mendez
BS, Finance

Screenshot of online portal

Iscleidys Mendez: 
it was built for online learners and working professionals. You have the content tab, which has all your assignments, your quizzes. This allows you to view the kind of work you have to do.

Kionne at table on laptop

Kionne on camera

Kionne T. Abdul-Malik: 
The professors were super amazing with just letting us know what resources were available for us.

The writing center was there just to help alone to make sure you're doing your citations correctly. And then the students themselves, I felt like when we were doing our discussion boards, we were connected to each other, and we wanted to see each other succeed.

Samantha on camera

Photos of Iscleidys

Iscleidys on camera

Iscleidys with family on sofa

Iscleidys Mendez: 
Being in a service who, who leaves for prolonged periods of time, I may not have internet for weeks at a time. And, you know, having those professors really work with me.

And finding the time of my schedule really made me be able to succeed while being overseas in the middle east.

Samantha on camera

Samantha Slagle:
I loved the fact that UMGC was something that was utilized globally.

Even more than the reputation or anything like that, it was the people at UMGC. People that had gone through it themselves and had benefited from that experience.

Kionne on camera

Mike poses with diploma and medals

Mike plays with his dog outside

Michael Hill: 
I'm a two-time marathon finisher, and I kind of adopted that same approach with schoolwork that set measurable goals, uh, make small achievements and then just do it over and over.

And that's the way I treated my time at UMGC.

Samantha on camera

Photos of Samantha with diploma

Samantha Slagle:
Was it challenging? Yeah. I'm not going to sugarcoat it.

The advisors showed me a pathway, that I knew, was actually going to be something achievable.

Iscleidys on camera

Iscleidys Mendez:
Advising was definitely instrumental. Um, you know, you were able to talk to them on the phone and they'll schedule follow ups with you and call you and check how you're doing through your process.

Photo of Mike with children at Grad Walk

Michael Hill:
And, you know, once you take that first step, you'll see how easy it truly is.

Photo of Kionne with Dr. Fowler at Grad Walk

Kionne T. Abdul-Malik:
Since graduation I've been offered two promotions. So, I will say that my time with UMGC has paid off very well for me.

Photo of Islceidys with diploma

Iscleidys Mendez:
So this has been a dream come true for me to, you know, be a beacon of light for other people.

UMGC logo

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