Shannon Deacon, BBA '11: Laddering Her Way to Success

For BBA 2011 graduate Shannon Deacon, her family’s support was essential for her success. As a mature student, Shannon expected challenges, but life, being life, added unexpected challenges, too.

A little timorous about returning to school after years away, Shannon started with the Administrative Assistant Certificate program and then the Executive Assistant Diploma. “Beginning there, completion seemed attainable. The thought of a four-year degree was too much at first. Then it turned out that I enjoyed school, and with the laddering options offered I was able to enter the BBA program,” she says.

Balancing school with work and family was a tough go at first, but Shannon’s time management skills rapidly improved.

What makes Shannon’s completion of a certificate, diploma and BBA in just four years even more impressive is that she was treated for malignant melanoma half way through her studies. She says she found her studies helped, “School kept my mind off the cancer.”

Now beginning a career in Human Resource Management, Shannon so loves school, she would like to continue her studies in the future. With the support of her family, of course.
 
Originally published in SoBE Notes, June 2011