April 10, 2024
Nichol Cruz '18
Submitted by Nichol Cruz
When I enrolled in the Professionals program at Cal Lutheran in 2016, I was simply hoping to finish my bachelor’s degree. I had always wanted to attend Cal Lutheran but I couldn’t afford the traditional program. At the time, being 30 years old and attending a university’s degree completion program, I didn’t think I’d be able to have the formative college experience that most people have when they finish college right after high school. The Professionals program far exceeded my expectations. I found a community of students just like me who were already employed and already had so much life experience, but for one reason or another, had not yet obtained their 4-year degree. The Professionals program felt like coming home. I felt welcomed and challenged by my professors and classmates. The discussions we had were thought-provoking and relevant, and the knowledge I gained from my classes was immediately applicable to my job. Everyone in my program was invested not only in their own success, but the success of their classmates. We leaned on each other for support and built relationships that lasted beyond the classroom. I successfully completed my bachelor’s degree in 2018 and I can’t imagine having obtained it from any school other than California Lutheran University. Some of my favorite professors were Timothy Weaver, Dr. Ariana Young, and Hari Date. These three professors have a gift for teaching. The conversations that were had during class were fun but also highly relevant to what we were doing within our workplaces. My professors didn’t treat us like mere students—they treated us like working professionals in pursuit of continuous learning and growth.