Finding balance between a full-time job and school with Purdue Global 

Stephanie Dykhuizen earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees while working 

Stephanie Dykhuizen saw value in a Purdue Global degree to help move her career forward. She’s sharing how earning online bachelor’s and master’s degrees has contributed to success.  

After I graduated high school, I bounced around to different colleges. In my early 20s, I wanted to get a bachelor’s degree, but I couldn’t find the right fit. To avoid accumulating any additional debt, I gave it up and started working full time. 

I worked in marketing and communications for a family business for several years. Then I started as an administrative assistant in the Office of the Provost at Purdue. It was a great season for figuring out what I wanted to do.  

After I was promoted to work with the Purdue University Senate, I took an interest in employee benefits at Purdue. The path with Purdue Global was appealing because I could finish my bachelor’s degree and prepare for future career opportunities. 

School didn’t take from my job, and my job didn’t take from school. It was a really healthy balance.

Stephanie 
BS communication ’21, MS instructional design and technology ’23 / Purdue Global 

I secured my bachelor’s in communication and was promoted again, becoming the executive assistant to the secretary of faculties. I connected with people who work in assessment and transitioned to my current role as the content and metadata management specialist. I just finished earning my master’s from Purdue Global as well in instructional design and technology. 

With Purdue Global, I liked that I could work full time and still have the bandwidth to complete my assignments. School didn’t take from my job, and my job didn’t take from school. It was a really healthy balance.  

My favorite experiences, time and time again, were group projects. I actually still talk to the people from a group project in my very first class. Getting real-life connections out of it was amazing.   

I’m a huge believer that you make time for the things that are important to you. You prioritize it, and you get it done.  

A word that comes to mind: endurance. It’s not about being the smartest, or most experienced, or fastest. It’s about being resilient and reaching that sense of accomplishment that no one can take away from you. It’s very validating. 

Stephanie is a content and metadata management specialist at Purdue. She’s worked at the university since 2019. 

It’s about being resilient and reaching that sense of accomplishment that no one can take away from you.

Stephanie BS communication ’21, MS instructional design and technology ’23 / Purdue Global