When unexpected life detours hampered Jessica Enyart Thomas’ graduation plans, she found another path – online. She graduated in May 2018 with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication.

“This is a big, big deal to me,” Thomas said. “I never quit school, no matter what came up. Degrees matter in today’s workplace. I know a lot of companies that won’t even give you an interview without a bachelor’s degree.”

Thomas began traditional, face-to-face courses at the University of Hawaii in 2013. Since then, she’s continued to work and go to school. All the time, she managed life challenges including moves to two other states, giving birth to two children, and getting remarried after her first husband passed away in an auto accident.

“Online was really my only way to earn a degree,” Thomas said. “I put in as many hours online as I would have in traditional courses. It can be as challenging, if not more challenging, than face-to-face courses.”

Thomas worked the past three years as a bank teller, a banker and a branch manager, while taking communication courses online. In the last month, she accepted a position as the social media manager for a lending institution in Rogers. The institution offered her the job after seeing her experience and pending graduation on LinkedIn.

“I’d like to think they thought it would be a good fit,” Thomas said.