Distinguished Alumnus

AIU Online Distinguished Alumni Award Winner

Beverly Harris thought her greatest educational achievement was earning her Master of Information Technology degree through AIU Online at age 60. In fact, when she received the application for the Distinguished Alumni Award from AIU Online, she had to be coerced into completing it by her mentor, Dr. Florine Robinson, at the Women's Education and Research Institute (WERI). "At first, I did not think filling out the application would be worthwhile. I thought my life had been somewhat dull and boring compared to some of my classmates at AIU. When my mentor called back about two hours later and asked if I had completed the application, I said I had not even started it. Her response was, 'I can't believe you're saying this! Just think about the questions and I'm sure you'll have something to say...I need you to fill out that application.' So, I completed the application and was ultimately able to thank my mentor by inviting her to the award ceremony."

When Beverly received the phone call informing her that she had been selected for the award, she was glad the person on the other end first asked her if she was sitting down. "I was shocked! I have never achieved something such as this before, and I am very excited that I will get to tour the facility that maintains the Virtual Campus. I cannot wait to see it! It is an honor because I know I was competing with some very dynamic people who own their own businesses, are CEOs of companies, and are people with great accomplishments. I am so surprised by all of this!"

Beverly may be humble enough about her achievements to not speculate on what set her apart from the other applicants, but a closer look at what she has accomplished since enrolling through AIU Online can be revealing. With over 30 years of experience as an Information Technology Support Technician, Beverly was immersed in a cutting-edge field before most people may have known of its existence. Even with such hands-on experience, according to Beverly, "I was overlooked when it came to promotions and received lower-than-average bonuses. But I will always remember what a blind woman that I babysat for in my youth once told me: 'There are very few things in life that are impossible. You just have to find another way to do it.'"

For Beverly, the "other way to do it" was to enroll at AIU, and her life soon changed after that. "After I earned my Master's degree I was finally promoted to a Vice President position at the organization where I have worked for seven years. I also was appointed to the Board of Directors and became Vice President of Special Programs at WERI. I even had the opportunity to hire an AIU graduate! AIU Online has not only made it possible for me to achieve my educational and career goals, but also has helped me gain more respect professionally."

Beverly's accomplishments obviously distinguished her from the other applicants enough to give her the recognition she deserves from earning the Distinguished Alumni Award. Her endeavors, however, are not that different from many other AIU Online students. "I always have enjoyed learning and always have wanted to earn a Master's degree. With the long, odd hours I work, however, I needed the flexibility that online learning at AIU Online offers. Most people may think that earning a degree no longer matters at my age, but I feel good and I intend to work for many more years. I was pleased to find that although the student body at AIU Online is made up of a very diverse group of people who benefit from each other's experiences, there are many others like me."

The award ceremony, which took place over lunch with the President of AIU Online, a tour of the facility that maintains the Virtual Campus, and a dinner with various other AIU staff all left Beverly even more impressed. "I was surprised to find out so many people work behind the scenes providing services to the students and making everything flow so professionally. Being an IT professional who regularly trains younger staff, I have an interest in technology and education, and the tour of the new data center was the high point of the day for me. It is a state-of-the-art network! I was flattered that everyone went out of their way to make me feel so important. Attending AIU was a wonderful, rewarding experience for me, and I would recommend it to anyone."

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