CEO, Grandmother, and UL Lafayette Graduate At Last

Sidni Shorter studying outsideSidni L. Shorter is the master of making it work. 

鈥淚t鈥 being project planning, time management, and implementation.

She is graduating from the 青青草视频 this spring with her bachelor鈥檚 degree from the General Studies online program with a concentration in Behavioral Science. 

Shorter began her college career at UL Lafayette in the 1970s when it was the University of Southwestern Louisiana. She majored in Sociology and minored in Business Administration. 

She stopped short of finishing her degree, leaving to start her family and her career. 

鈥淟ife started quick,鈥 Shorter says.

Even as the flow of life picked up speed, Shorter did not stop pursuing educational opportunities.

鈥淥ver the years, I have done what I consider pieces of degrees, but the idea of still finishing at UL Lafayette stayed with me,鈥 Shorter says.

Starting again

Through a friend, Shorter heard about the CompeteLA program and thought it might be a promising path forward. The University of Louisiana System initiative, CompeteLA, began in 2019 to help the more than 653,000 adults in Louisiana who have earned some college credits but no degree. 

鈥淪he happened to mention it so I looked it up, and it was like 鈥榃ow, okay, let me see if this is something that I would qualify for,鈥欌 Shorter says.

She spoke with a coach in the program who evaluated her previously earned credits and recommended a degree track. From there, she says, it was a smooth transition to enrolling at UL Lafayette online.

鈥淚t was really a really good experience. I certainly appreciated how they made sure they understood what I wanted and recognized what I was bringing to the table as an adult learner.鈥 

Once enrolled, Shorter 鈥渁ggressively jumped in鈥 to the online schooling experience. In the fall of 2020, Shorter tackled eight classes and made it onto the Dean鈥檚 List.

Years of business experience gave Shorter an idea of how to approach the online classes.

鈥淓ssentially, I project managed it,鈥 Shorter says. 鈥淚 worked backwards based on the intended outcome so I could ensure I had the time allowed for what I needed to achieve or deliver.鈥

Shorter鈥檚 self-discipline and time management is well documented. Her husband snapped photos of her studying on business trips 鈥 and on a seaside vacation. She shares the photos with the hashtags #DistanceLearning and #IStudyEverywhere.

Triple duty

Shorter is the CEO of a finance and accounting firm she acquired five years ago. They predominantly work with small to mid-size non-profit companies and offer virtual support. 

Her return to the University coincided closely with the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Unlike many businesses during the shutdown, Shorter鈥檚 firm saw record revenue growth 鈥 which is to say they were extremely busy. 

While leading her company through outstanding productivity, Shorter and her husband were also taking care of their granddaughter full time for several months. Ever the manager, Shorter integrated pre-K lessons into their shared day and incorporated enrichment activities and play time into the afternoon.

鈥淲e made a deal that we would 鈥榳ork鈥 at the same time and take our breaks and meals together,鈥 Shorter says. 鈥淪he had her classroom space, and I had my office space at home.  It was important to establish these spaces and to leave them behind at the end of the day each day.鈥  

Worth the wait

Accomplished as she is in her own right, Shorter鈥檚 return to undergraduate studies has proven to be more than a means to finish what she started decades ago. She says her online courses have provided new tools and an expanded network.

鈥淎ctually, I have already capitalized on aspects of what I learned from my two business classes last semester to gain a new corporate client with international reach,鈥 she says. 

What鈥檚 more, Shorter was able to make meaningful connections among her classmates. 

鈥淭here is a young lady I met, and we have agreed to reconnect after graduation because I immediately wanted to hire her. She鈥檚 in the military right now and she鈥檚 an absolute rock star,鈥 she says.

鈥淧eople may not imagine themselves building connections or friendships or any networking with distance learning,鈥 Shorter says. 鈥淏ut I compare it to online dating: people meet partners online and make lifetime commitments so why would distance learning be absent of that opportunity?鈥

As she prepares to close the book on her bachelor鈥檚 degree, Shorter considers what advice she would give a prospective student.

鈥淚 would say: Be committed to the intended outcome. Be an advocate for yourself.鈥

Request Information

Apply Now