Becoming an IT expert with a Purdue Global bachelor’s degree
Gaining another degree has helped veterinary nurse Chandra sharpen her IT skills.
Chandra Whippen earned her degree to expand impact as a veterinary nurse
Chandra Whippen saw value in a Purdue Global degree to help move her career forward. She’s sharing how earning an online bachelor’s degree has contributed to success.
At Purdue University’s College of Veterinary Medicine, I’m a cardiac veterinary nurse. I work with all kinds of animals: dogs, cats, horses, pigs and more.
At work, I deal with a lot of IT equipment, like electrocardiograph machines, ultrasound machines, X-ray machines – there’s a lot of technology in vet med. I wanted to find a way to support my team with all of that by learning more about a different field: IT.
I’d been trying to find a way to earn another degree. But as a technician, the pandemic was really difficult. We were putting in long hours, and I wanted to find something that would work with my busy schedule. I thought, “There have to be other opportunities out there.”
Purdue Global gave me the agency and ability to keep moving forward. I could keep working while taking classes.
Chandra
BS information technology / Purdue Global ’23
I decided to earn a bachelor’s in information technology from Purdue Global. Purdue Global gave me the agency and ability to keep moving forward. I could keep working while taking classes. I’ve been in my field for seven and a half years, but I’ve found there’s always more out there to learn.
There are zero reasons to not do it and learn another skill set. I have a lot of drive, so it was a great way to flex my brain and evolve personally.
I appreciated the professors who worked with me. Together, we could figure out what would be manageable for me with my schedule. I could juggle my jobs because of them and their encouragement.
I think I might have underestimated my potential at first. You have to want to achieve. If you don’t want it, you’ll fail. This showed me that I could do it. Putting in the extra effort on top of all my other obligations made everything feel so much more rewarding.
Chandra is a cardiac veterinary nurse at Purdue. She’s worked at the university since 2015.
You have to want to achieve. If you don’t want it, you’ll fail. This showed me that I could do it.
Chandra BS information technology / Purdue Global ’23
