Nicole McDonald

Nicole McDonald graduated from Concordia University, St. Paul in 2013 with a Bachelor’s degree in Organizational Management and Leadership. Her education paired well with her role, and she was able to apply the skills she was learning in real-time to her management position. Since then, she has been able to move positions and take on more responsibility in leadership roles. 

McDonald did not want to sacrifice her full-time work schedule and career in order to continue her education, so finding a flexible and completely online program was important to her. She knew from prior experience that balancing school and work could be difficult. “As someone who continued to work an 8-5 position on a full-time basis while pursuing my Bachelor’s, being able to attend classes online and at night was a key to my success.”

Apart from the hands-on, practical skills she learned, McDonald said one of the most valuable parts of CSP’s online program was the online format and being able to connect with her peers. “Learning as a cohort was incredibly meaningful. Having a core group of students that I was able to learn with and collaborate with, helped to keep me engaged as an online learner.” 

McDonald praises CSP’s Organizational Management and Leadership program for giving her the tools and confidence to find success in many different roles over the years. She highlights that the skills she learned have carried over into every position she has held, and have helped her achieve her career goals. “If there is just one thing I can convey about the degree in Organizational Management and Leadership, it is how comprehensive it is. I feel that it has served me well in whatever part of an organization or a role I found myself wanting to explore. To me, that flexibility has been most meaningful in helping me realize my career goals through the years.”