Though she is currently a sophomore at 海角视频鈥檚 Iron Mountain campus, Megan Elsey鈥檚 higher education didn鈥檛 start there. After graduating from Calumet High School in 2009, she began her first semester of college鈥攂ut chose not to continue at that time.
鈥淚 attended a semester at Northern Michigan University, and with the cost, I decided it would be best not to continue with schooling right then,鈥� she said,
Instead, she found work at a factory in Calumet.
鈥淲hile doing that job, I met my husband and we had our first child,鈥� Megan said.
Once her husband graduated from Michigan Technological University, he and Megan moved to Norway in 2016.
In 2018, Megan and her husband had their second child. Megan raised her children as a stay-at-home mother until her first child started attending school.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 when I decided I would go to school part-time as well,鈥� she said.
She opted to restart her college education at Bay鈥檚 Iron Mountain campus due to its location, affordability, and opportunities for online learning.
鈥淗aving two young children, it鈥檚 important for me to not be too tied down to a schedule. Sickness happens, snow days happen, and it鈥檚 not always feasible to go to class on time,鈥� Megan said.
Megan started taking classes at Bay during the Winter 2022 semester and has been there ever since.
鈥淭hings have been going very well. I鈥檝e had steady progress in my classes,鈥� she said.
At Bay, Megan is pursuing an Office Information Systems/Administrative Assistant degree.
鈥淚t wasn鈥檛 until a few years ago that I realized I enjoy doing paperwork and scheduling for my family,鈥� she said.
In May 2024, Megan earned the office assistant certificate she was initially working toward as a Bay student.
鈥淚 enjoyed it so much that I decided to extend my schooling another year and go for my associate degree as an administrative assistant,鈥� she said.
One of Megan鈥檚 favorite things about Bay has been her interactions with teachers and other people at the Iron Mountain campus.
鈥淚鈥檓 so happy with all the assistance that鈥檚 available here at Bay, and how open and friendly the faculty and students are. There鈥檚 not a single person on campus I鈥檇 be afraid to approach and ask questions,鈥� she said.
Megan has also enjoyed tutoring through the college and the TRIO Student Support Services Program, which she has done since the Fall 2022 semester.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been fun to help other students and get to know them,鈥� she said.
In addition to tutoring, Megan works at Bay鈥檚 front desk and testing center and helps at the food pantry. She said this work experience has been a good fit with her field of study.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been so much fun. I鈥檝e been learning a lot, and it helps me build my resume,鈥� Megan said.
According to Megan, she is on track to earn her associate degree by the end of the Winter 2025 semester. Beyond that point, she hopes to find a job related to her field of study.
鈥淚 would like to find a front desk or assistant position in any kind of office setting鈥攕omething not too predictable, so it keeps it interesting,鈥� she said.