Nathalie B.
Evening Student & Working Adult
“The teachers here currently work at the field that they’re teaching, so their knowledge in that particular subject is more intensive, and they have on-field experience where they can bring their class and make it more realistic.”
Nathalie Belfort always has had an entrepreneurial streak. After service in the U.S. Army, she started her own freelance business as a personal care attendant. But soon, she began to set her sights on an even bigger goal.
When her best friend and roommate suggested that they go into business together and open a hip chain of lounge-styled Laundromats, Nathalie decided that she needed a real-world professional education in financial and business management to get this concept off of the ground.
She first tried taking classes at two other local colleges but was unhappy with the lack of guidance they provided. “I’d heard a lot of good things about Bay State College,” she recalls. “But after I researched it, I just fell in love with how they approach your education and guide you through all the steps. It’s been an exceptional place for me.”
Nathalie also points to the flexibility of Bay State’s Evening Division classes as a definite plus in helping her reach her career goal as a CPA. “I’m working full-time, but my advisor just made everything so convenient and accessible. I’m able to accomplish everything that I want to here at Bay State through my evening classes.” Even though she is working toward a degree in Business Management, her department is allowing her to focus on accounting. “My advisors went above and beyond to help me figure out a way that I could still earn the credits that I need to graduate, while taking extra financial classes to turn my degree into a concentration in accounting,” she says.
When she graduates in May 2012, Nathalie plans on taking her studies to the next level by pursuing a graduate degree in accounting. And when her Laundromat Lounge chain opens its doors, she says that Bay State will deserve a big part of the credit. “Everyone there just really wants make sure that you have the best education possible, and that you’re successful in whatever you do after you graduate.”