Paul Rodriguez - Bachelor of Arts, Leadership

"When I reviewed the Bellevue University display at our Chantilly, VA office I wasn’t sure what to expect. It was purely exploratory since I wasn’t sure I was ready to go back to school. I felt that if I did commit then I would need time to 'get ready to get ready,' which means I had already been 'thinking' about going back for five to six months.

"After I obtained an unofficial assessment of my transfer credits I was surprised that I could jump straight into major courses. When I inquired about the accelerated Leadership program I found out that the next class was starting in less than a week. I was reluctant to enroll because I felt I wasn't 'mentally' prepared to make the commitment. But my wife encouraged me to just get started ... NOW! I hadn't been in school since 1995, so I had procrastinated long enough. Better late then never.

"All I could think about was carpe diem - Latin for 'seize the day.' So I registered, got started and haven't looked back since. At times it has been fast and furious. The accelerated program consists of a new class every four weeks but the program provided a good mix of varying assignments and breaks. I'll finish my core courses in September 2008. I would encourage anyone to take a leap of faith and carpe diem!"