From Associate to Bachelor’s, and Beyond

Julie Miller was in her mid-30s when she started classes at Piedmont Tech. Even so, she was treading water on her career choices.

“I didn’t know what I wanted to do. I changed my major a lot when I was there,” Miller said.

First, she focused on dental hygiene but discovered that it just wasn’t for her. Then she entered the associate in science program, only to find it wasn’t the right fit for her. Then she changed tack again.

“The associate in arts program gave me the broader range of study,” she explained. “I got to study history and philosophy and art, things I was interested in.”

That choice kept the door open for a lot of options later. And as she continued her course of study, she learned a lot about herself. It led her to consider the field of social work.

“I have always been really good working with people and helping people,” Miller said. She looked at the possibilities and learned that the University of South Carolina Beaufort (USCB) had recently launched a human services program online. So she chose a university transfer path that would allow her to seamlessly transition to USCB. It appealed to her because “I could connect with people and work on case studies.”

A Greenwood resident, Miller graduated from PTC with her associate in arts degree in 2015. She received her bachelor’s in human services in 2017. She currently works as a recruiter for a staffing company. Now she’s working on a master’s degree through American Public University. Is a PhD on the horizon?

“That is the plan,” she said.