Emma needed a flexible way to finish her bachelor's degree when she added flight school to her plans
Emma Spears started her education at BYU's campus in Provo in 2020, but wanted to change gears a couple of years into her studies.
While visiting her home in Texas during the summer, a couple of her neighbors with careers in aviation invited her on a discovery flight. She loved it and wanted to add flight school to her plans. But what about all the hard work she’d already put into completing half of her degree?
Balancing education with other passions
Emma needed a flexible way to finish the degree she’d started while doing flight school back home. When she heard about BYU-Pathway Worldwide , she was eager to learn more.
Emma joined BYU-Pathway in 2022. By transferring most of her credits from BYU, she was able to jump ahead in her bachelor’s degree in
Continuing her degree within the Church Educational System, she appreciated the high-quality of her courses and how the skills she gained “were applicable to the real world and business practices”. She also loved the familiarity of having courses founded on principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Flexibility and support
Emma’s schedule was busy with flight training, work, and school, but the flexibility of BYU-Pathway's online programs and the support of her instructors made it possible for her to juggle everything.
“Every professor genuinely cared and wanted to see us succeed," she said. "They would tailor their teaching to the needs of the individual. It was a really personalized experience, even though it was remote.”
Low tuition and career benefits
The low cost of
Emma also saw benefits to her career after completing the
“I was able to use some of those skills to learn about my management style. It definitely helped me to have more confidence as a leader. It's intimidating when you’ve never been in a leadership position before, but I think the certificate helped a lot.”
Global connections
Emma appreciated how BYU-Pathway allowed her to interact with peers throughout the world. “It was such a unique experience being able to interact with all different cultures. You meet some really cool people. You form genuine connections with others despite being online.”
As Emma graduates with her bachelor’s degree this month, she looks forward to taking this knowledge with her as she continues pursuing her career goals. She hopes to start flying for regional airlines in Texas soon. Pursuing her degree and other passions simultaneously wouldn’t have been possible without BYU-Pathway.
“I feel prepared because of the quality of the education I received,” she said. “I would highly recommend BYU-Pathway to anyone who is considering it. Just do it!”