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Anesha Berry 

“���Ĵ�ý is geared toward working adults, to families.”

Military spouse and mother of four Anesha Berry knew advancing from bookkeeping to accounting required a degree. When she enrolled at ���Ĵ�ý, her husband, Stephan, said he would, too. 

Both Anesha and Stephan Berry will receive ���Ĵ�ý diplomas in December ceremonies in Adelphi, Maryland, as all four of their children—two daughters 13 and 10, and two sons, 18 and 8—cheer them on. Anesha earned a Bachelor of Science in Accounting, and Stephan a Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity Technology. Anesha counts graduation as her proudest ���Ĵ�ý moment, along with being inducted into the National Society of Leadership and Success. 

Berry—who homeschooled the couple’s children—appreciated the understanding shown by ���Ĵ�ý’s faculty. “A few had similar backgrounds to mine, whether they served in the military or they were military spouses, or they went back to school,” she said. “They were stay-at-home moms or parents for a number of years. It really humanized everybody and put into perspective the fact that ���Ĵ�ý is geared toward working adults, to families.”

Her first instructor, Adjunct Assistant Professor Megan Manley, stood out, helping Berry find her way as she began her studies. “She was so encouraging,” Berry said. “I wasn’t sure if I was going to stick around and make it to the end. But her encouragement and feedback in my work and in my life just helped me plan things out.”

This year, Berry started a new career at a nonprofit organization that aims to revolutionize education and workforce development to better meet the needs of both learners and employers—a goal that aligns with ���Ĵ�ý’s own mission.  

Adrienne Harris

“My challenges never disappeared … but ���Ĵ�ý taught me to believe I can achieve anything I set my mind to.”

Adrienne Harris didn’t have to wait long for her proudest ���Ĵ�ý moment; it happened in her first year, when she landed her first user experience design role. “The [BS in Web & Digital Design] program’s hands-on training with industry tools helped me confidently demonstrate my skills,” she said. 

That internship, and a series of others secured using ���Ĵ�ý’s career resources, led to a challenging new full-time web design role with a well-known insurance company. “It takes all my skills that I've accumulated over the years in digital design,” said Harris. “I'm really happy and excited to keep using what I learned through my degree.”

As she graduates in December, Harris is grateful for her ���Ĵ�ý degree, but more important, she said, was the related “transformation from feeling incapable to beyond capable.”

Harris has sickle cell anemia and was hospitalized several times—once for three months—while raising two young children and working through her ���Ĵ�ý degree. The university’s learning model was vital to her success.

“Finding ���Ĵ�ý’s flexible, credible program in a field I’m passionate about reignited my determination. My challenges never disappeared,” she said. “I’ve always been resilient, but ���Ĵ�ý strengthened that perseverance and taught me to believe I can achieve anything I set my mind to, a belief I carry proudly today.”

Harris has a son, 8, and a daughter, 2. “It can feel really tough while you're going through it, and it’s a lot to juggle at one time,” she said. “But coming out to the other side is just so sweet. It feels really powerful and impactful, and not just for myself, but for my fiancé and for our children.” The whole family will attend commencement to celebrate her achievement.

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“Every class connects to real life.”

Working as a package handler for a global leader in transportation logistics in Austin, Texas, Patrice Lightfoot watched closely how the company’s human resources professionals provided positive reinforcement to motivate workers.

“They were trying to get us to take pride in our job, feel accomplished, feel respected, feel a part of the whole team, and that we actually mattered,” she said. This motivated her to pursue a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies at ���Ĵ�ý. 

The benefits of her coursework became evident almost immediately on the job. With each class in human resources and communication, “I learned how to speak to someone, how to get them motivated and feel included,” she said. 

And she goes the extra mile to remove barriers to communication, learning sign language to help her in working with Deaf people.

When a job opened in human resources, she was ready to apply. “I knew what to expect and what to do, and I knew what I wanted to do” in the role, she said. Lightfoot got the job and now works for the company in an administrative human resources position. 

She cited in particular help she got from Adjunct Professor Steven Thompson, PhD. “His feedback pushed me to think critically and express ideas with clarity and confidence. He connected communication theories to real-world issues, helping me see how my words and actions can influence others.”

Lightfoot completed her studies while working a full-time package handling job and a part-time job as a personal trainer, and also serving in the Air Force Reserve. She said ���Ĵ�ý is designed for people like her.

“Don’t be afraid to take it one step at a time and lean on your professors and classmates for support,” she said, when asked what advice she would give to incoming ���Ĵ�ý students. “If you’re mentally struggling, there is support for you from professors who care, classmates who understand, and people in your life who want to see you succeed.”

“Every class connects to real life,” she said. “You’ll grow more than you expect. Stay organized, stay motivated, and remember your experience and perspective are your greatest strengths.”

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“Great teachers don’t just teach; they transform how you see yourself and your potential.” 

Adam Maaz said the proudest moment in his ���Ĵ�ý journey was the day he handed in his final project for his Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity Management and Policy, which was the  same day that he received a cybersecurity job offer from a large, well-known banking and financial company.

“That moment felt like a perfect circle—proof that dedication, persistence and late nights truly pay off,” he said. “It wasn’t earning a degree; it was about transforming knowledge into opportunity and stepping confidently into the next chapter of my career.”

The help Maaz got from ���Ĵ�ý staff and faculty made it all work for him, he said. Hands-on courses prepared him with the practical knowledge he needed to start his new career, and the university’s advisors and success coaches kept him on track when life became challenging. “My ���Ĵ�ý experience has been a life changer in many ways,” he said.  

He said all of the faculty impressed him with their accessibility and empathy. But one who stood out was Adjunct Associate Professor Quentin Ancar. “His guidance went beyond academics. He challenged me to think critically, connect theory to industry practice, and never settle for average,” said Maaz. 

“His mentorship helped me translate complex cybersecurity concepts into real business impact, a skill that directly supported my transition to a cybersecurity role in a major corporation. He reminded me that great teachers don’t just teach; they transform how you see yourself and your potential.”

With all of the online classes, he had never met Ancar in person. But when Ancar heard Maaz would be attending winter commencement in Adelphi, Maryland, he promised to be there to meet him face-to-face for the first time.

As he was finishing his Master of Science in Cloud Computing Systems, also at ���Ĵ�ý, Maaz made the decision to launch a consulting firm to help small and midsize companies strengthen their cyber protections to avoid becoming a “side door” for attackers. 

After being inducted into the Upsilon Pi Epsilon honor society for computing and information disciplines, Maaz aims to uphold its skills and values and eventually join Ancar as a ���Ĵ�ý instructor.

Corinne Smith

���Ĵ�ý gave me the “voice and confidence to put myself out there, to advance professionally.”

Corinne Smith said earning her ���Ĵ�ý Bachelor of Science in Health Services Management has played a “pivotal role” in changing the trajectory of her career; she has been promoted three times in two years at the growing psychiatric practice where she works.

Smith joined the practice as a receptionist. Her studies provided “the motivation to pursue more responsibility,” she said. “It gave me the tools to speak on things that I didn’t know when I started with the company, and to have the voice and confidence to put myself out there, to advance professionally. It played a role in me wanting something bigger for myself.”

In the two years she worked for the practice and finished her degree, Smith was promoted from the front desk to therapy administration coordinator and then therapy team manager, before accepting her current role as quality and training specialist.

As a widow with young twins, Smith noted that completing coursework was not always easy. “The ���Ĵ�ý experience tested my resilience and self-discipline,” she said. “There were times when the workload felt overwhelming, but pushing through those moments taught me so much about my own capacity and determination.”

The support she received from ���Ĵ�ý advisors helped to make it happen. “They were always so helpful, helping me map out my classes,” she said. “They were great about checking in and honestly keeping me on track when things got busy, and keeping me motivated.”

Now Smith has begun a ���Ĵ�ý Master of Science in Health Information Management & Technology that will teach her about the ethics of data management and protecting patient information. “If I want to take a leadership role, this will help me,” she said.