Going back to school as a working adult can feel like a balancing act. For Maurice Davis, that decision was driven by a clear goal: he wanted to teach marketing at his local community college. The only thing standing in his way was a master’s degree. “I started looking for programs that would allow me to balance my life and still take classes,” he says.
Like many adult learners, Maurice wasn’t sure how to make it all work. Between work and life responsibilities, the timing never felt quite right. That changed during a company call. “I almost gave up until the company I worked for created a partnership with Capella,” he explains. “We had a team call about the new relationship and how we would get support if we took classes at Capella. That was all I needed to know.”
That extra support made a difference. Maurice enrolled in the MBA program and began the next chapter of his academic journey. Now a Capella graduate, Maurice has advice for anyone currently working toward their degree. His first suggestion is simple but powerful: create a system. “Create a system for your learning and use the tools Capella offers,” he says. “You will have moments where life will put you up against the wall and you might feel like you’ve taken on too much, but keep going.” Maurice also reminds fellow alumni and students that no one has to navigate the process alone. The key, he says, is using the resources available. “Your system will help you manage the learning challenges, and the team at Capella can help you find what works best for you.”
For working adults who are still considering a return to school, Maurice’s story is a reminder that support and structure can make all the difference. His decision to pursue an MBA helped him move closer to his teaching goals while reinforcing something even bigger: that it’s never too late to invest in your professional growth.
