Even though he made several big moves across the country, Carter Duncan was able to complete his degree through Lander University. Photo by Lindsey Hodges
When one thinks of going to college, there are a couple of “back-to-school” cliches that may come to mind. The large moving van in early August pulling up to the residence hall. The Macbook Air, coupled with a grande Pink Drink or Mango Dream Refresher from Starbucks. The mass-produced dorm room wall art from Walmart or Michael’s proclaiming “Everything is Figureoutable” or “Keep Calm and [Fill in the Blank].”
Traditional undergraduate students might not want to admit it, but there are a lot of common threads between them. “They’re all 18 years old, they have the same three brands of backpacks, and the same types of computers,” said Dr. Lloyd Willis, dean of the College of Business and Technology. “They watch the same TikToks and follow the same influencers. They are face-to-face with us every day, and we coach them along. We cajole them into showing up two or three times a week.”
However, online and graduate programs are different, and so are the students who pursue those degrees. At Lander University’s Graduate Hooding and Online Pinning Ceremony, the faculty took time to recognize and celebrate the unique journey of the non-traditional college student. The working professional, often with a family of their own, who pursued a bachelor’s or master’s degree despite the busyness of their day-to-day lives.
“Learning online requires a different type of motivation, self discipline and planning,” said Willis. “And being a grad student requires the same level of independence and diligence.”
Pressing Play on Higher Education
Megan Warren, who earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration online at Lander, did not really know what she wanted to do when she first began her college journey at another institution. So, instead, she hit pause on college, and chose to advance her career at TD Bank. When she decided to resume her studies online, Lander made the transfer process easy, and helped Warren receive credits for the courses she had already completed.
“I was able to make a seamless transition,” Warren said, which gave her a lot of peace of mind during her studies, in addition to being from Greenwood originally and familiar with the University. “All of my professors and advisors were just so helpful that I would not have asked for a better experience.”
New Experience for a Familiar Face
This made two Lander business degrees for Emily Anne Beiers, who first earned her bachelor’s in 2025 and spent a year as a graduate assistant for Lander’s Office of Admissions while working on her MBA. Beiers was no stranger to being involved on campus, having previously served as a Presidential Ambassador and a member of the women’s golf team. She loved that her graduate assistantship gave her an opportunity to remain plugged into the campus she loves, while also applying what she learned in the classroom.
“It felt pretty full circle to me being involved in recruiting students as a student who is coming to the end of her Lander journey,” she said. “I loved traveling to local high schools, running the social media page and connecting with prospective students and their families when they visited campus. These opportunities gave me a lot of experience interacting and connecting with people I don't know. I have gained an understanding of the value of communication and collaboration on a whole new level.”
Take Your Education Anywhere
One of the benefits to pursuing a master’s degree for Carter Duncan was that he could take it with him on the go. This was especially beneficial for him as he and his wife made a major move to Colorado. Now, Duncan and his wife live in Georgia, and in between all of these moves, Lander has been right there with him. He complimented the flexibility of Lander’s program, and recommends it to young professionals like him, who are regularly on the move.
“The right time to do it is yesterday, but the next best time is today – finding a program that works for your schedule like Lander,” he said. “Even though it is an online program that you can access from anywhere, it’s still very homegrown, still very rooted in this brick and mortar university where there’s real offices and real professors, and real classes.”
It’s About You
Because of the uniqueness of their individual paths toward graduation, Willis said it was likely that the days following the Graduate Hooding and Online Pinning Ceremony would be filled with other professional or familial obligations, from luncheons and work trips, to ballgames and spring musicals.
“There are folks on this stage tonight who will attend their kids’ award ceremonies in the next few weeks,” Willis said,” or their children’s graduation ceremonies and dance recitals and year-end programs. But tonight, it’s about you. So, graduates, let’s pause to remember what you’ve done here. I’m pleased to say on behalf of everyone here, graduates, we could not be more proud of you.”