A Success Story of a Non-Traditional Student

As a single mom, I didn’t dedicate myself to going to school full-time until I was 25 years old. My goal was to graduate by the time I was 30 – and I walked across the stage at 29! While my experience may not have been traditional, I still credit NMU for helping me find the path to where I am today.

Before I decided to go back to NMU full-time, I was working at a bank as a teller. I knew I wanted to work in an industry where professional growth was not only possible, but encouraged, and I saw those opportunities in banking. In order to position myself as someone who could potentially move up the ladder, I decided to double major in accounting and computer information systems. Believe it or not, math and computers were not my strong subjects in high school, but the way the courses were designed and the attentiveness of the professors at NMU really helped me excel in these areas. Even though I was a “late bloomer” in higher education, it worked well for me because I had established career goals and NMU gave me the confidence and resources to pursue those goals. Receiving my diploma was incredibly rewarding. For four and a half years, I was working nearly full-time, going to school and raising my son – and I felt like I had really earned my degree.

Since graduating from NMU, I have worked in many different areas of banking, taking only a brief hiatus from the industry to become an auditor early in my career. For the last 25 years, I’ve been with Range Bank, five of those years as the president and CEO, and it has been a great journey to get here. My educational background in both math and computer information systems has given me the knowledge and understanding of banking and where it can go in the future – which is a major part of my role now. My focus is on strategy and how we can continue to be an innovative competitor in the industry. It is also critical to be a good leader – and many leadership skills I learned from my time at NMU. Our people, especially in banking, are our biggest asset and I truly believe that if we take care of our people, they will take care of our customers and in turn, our shareholders will be happy.

In a male-dominated field, it was imperative to have mentors and support from other leaders around me. The president and CEO of Range before me was incredibly supportive and he helped prepare me for this job. Janet Kuru was one of the first women CEOs in banking in Michigan, and I admired her work and sought after her advice frequently. 

I didn’t really intend on being in the position I am now, but it’s amazing to think where your career path can lead you. I accepted additional responsibilities along the way and remained open-minded when new opportunities presented themselves. I actually turned down this job the first time it was presented to me. I wasn’t ready – much like I wasn’t ready to tackle college full-time at 18 years old. But I got to the point where I felt confident in my abilities and was ready to push outside of my comfort zone. When I accepted the job five years ago, it was the right time.

If you are like me and weren’t ready for college right out of high school, don’t be afraid to go back! I am so grateful for my time at NMU and wouldn’t be where I am now without the education, skills and knowledge I gained. I encourage everyone to grab opportunities as they come – whether that’s involvement in a student organization, a job apprenticeship or a career change. These experiences will help you in your future by pushing you out of your comfort zone and may lead you through an unexpected but deeply rewarding journey.