The Paul McGhee Division

Lauren Busener

B.S. in Leadership and Management 2009

New York Crunch Fitness' director of programming and partnerships Lauren Busener discovered her interests before pursuing her bachelor's degree, which made all the difference in her educational experience. A native of Cincinnati, Lauren found out about the McGhee Division shortly after moving to New York in 2002. She enrolled in 2004, graduating with a B.S. in Leadership and Management in 2009.

Pursuing the degree, Lauren said, was something she wanted to do for herself; it was not about advancing in her already-established career or getting a pay raise. "When I'm out in a social setting or at a business meeting, I feel more confident communicating my thoughts," Lauren said of the benefits of her education. "I have more to talk about. I'm just more educated and to me education is powerful."

Lauren attended a couple colleges right after high school. She found the experience disappointing and not conducive to working a full-time job. At McGhee, she enjoyed the small classroom sizes, conversations with professors, and the shared sense of camaraderie with her classmates – also fellow professionals. The real world-related classrooms suited her educational needs. Additionally, McGhee's Prior-Learning Assessment (PLA) program allowed Lauren to complete 20 credits through examination and the portfolio process, saving her thousands of dollars in tuition and months of classroom time.

Lauren said that pursuing her professional career and then going to school worked better for her, and it did not hinder her opportunities. "If anything, what I've learned in the real world only helps me to succeed in an academic setting."

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