Supersized Success

With her children away at college, Valerie Murphy decided it was the right time to go back to school. It was always her ambition to go beyond a bachelor’s degree—and to increase her earning potential and professional growth.

Valerie’s supportive family members were her biggest motivators—really big. Her mother is one of fifteen children and she jokes that family reunions could take up “60 to 70 percent of a medium-sized park.”

Valerie’s busy lifestyle didn’t get in the way of earning her Master of Business Administration. She found a balance that worked well. She even found time for extracurricular professional affiliations with Kaplan University’s Student Project Management Community of Practice (StuPMCoP) and the Project Management Institute (PMI).

“I cannot begin to explain the impact and career importance gained from obtaining my MBA. I’ve had a long career in IT that was capped at midlevel earnings and assignments. I am now positioned well for upper level positions and able to effectively apply MBA theories and concepts to excel in my career.”

Less than a month after earning her MBA, a job offer surfaced. Valerie is now working as a business analyst for a new company with a 15 percent pay increase and opportunities to earn bonuses.* She directs and manages her own staff, and is responsible for assessing business models for both finance and sales, while integrating technology and solution resources.

“I was the first person in my family to obtain a college degree and now the first to obtain an MBA. I have one other cousin that got her Master of Public Administration about 6 months before me—she says that I motivated her. This is what inspired me during my time at Kaplan University.”

Valerie stays connected with her fellow classmates in a professional network. She also volunteers her time to help empower children at an inner-city program in Atlanta.

Her supersized family—and their supersized support—helped her achieve her dreams.

*Kaplan University does not guarantee that graduates will obtain employment or earn any specific salary.

This testimonial was solicited by Kaplan University. Views and opinions stated herein are the individual’s and not necessarily those of Kaplan University. Individual student experiences may vary. Kaplan University's programs are designed to prepare graduates to pursue employment in their field of study, or in related fields. However, the University does not guarantee that graduates will be placed in any particular job, eligible for job advancement opportunities, or employed at all. Additional training or certification may be required.