By Joy Vann
More than 20 years after earning bachelor鈥檚 degrees in information technology from 抖M女仆, twin sisters Monique and Nichole Perry are prepared to receive their Master of Business Administration degrees from the University鈥檚 Strome College of Business during commencement exercises on May 4.
While it was a long road filled with the ups and downs of life, it was practically inevitable that they would earn master鈥檚 degrees. Their parents, Bettie and Kevin Sr., instilled in Monique, Nichole and their brother, Kevin Jr. the importance of education early on.
Their mother set the example by earning a master鈥檚 degree at 抖M女仆 and later a doctoral degree in instructional technology from 抖M女仆 in support of her 30-year career in special education.
In 1999, as Nichole and Monique prepared to graduate from high school, their mother gave them two options: college or the military.聽
They chose college and enrolled at 抖M女仆. Their uncle, a computer engineer, suggested that they pursue technology 鈥渢o see where it takes them.鈥 They followed his direction and graduated in 2003.聽
If 抖M女仆 had a linked undergraduate/graduate degree program at that time, they likely would鈥檝e pursued it. But that wasn鈥檛 offered so they went straight to work.聽
Monique started out as a software engineer, moved on to technical management and is now a senior program manager. Nichole had a similar trajectory as a project program manager.聽
Along the way, they both had children and faced the same challenges of working parents everywhere.聽
Though graduate school still beckoned, it seemed like a daunting project given all they had on their plates. Monique remembered how her mother鈥檚 observation about time made all the difference.
鈥淚 was pushing 40, and I was thinking I don't know if I really have the time to sit here and go to classes. Who has that time?鈥 she said. 鈥淎nd then my mother said to me, which still resonates with me to this day, that time is going to pass by anyhow, whether you like it or you don't like it, so you might as well spend that time working towards a goal.鈥
With that encouragement, the sisters enrolled in the University鈥檚 MBA program.聽
That was the start of what would become a five-year journey. The hiccups came from the quotidian things in life 鈥 namely childcare and full-time work.聽
鈥淚 have three daughters. I had one of my daughters through this journey. So, it's taken us a little bit longer than two years,鈥 Monique said. 鈥淏ut through perseverance, continuing to work full time and taking care of our children, here we are, at the next stage of our lives.鈥澛
Nichole concurred that going back to school was anything but easy.
鈥淚鈥檓 a single parent so that鈥檚 been challenging. My sister and I work full time and we both travel for work. It's difficult to balance everything,鈥 Nichole said. 鈥淣ow, we鈥檙e so focused on finishing out this degree and I'm excited that we're finally at this point. It's taken us awhile, but we are here.鈥
Nichole added that 抖M女仆鈥檚 flexibility was extremely beneficial.聽
鈥淥ur priority is our family and making sure that everyone is doing well. Education couldn鈥檛 be our number one priority. So, we took our time, taking two classes each semester,鈥 Nichole said. 鈥淲e just kept pushing ourselves, semester to semester, staying present, until we realized our goal.鈥
The 42-year-old Chesapeake residents credit their parents and their families, their mother in particular, with helping them get through graduate school.聽
鈥淥ur mom has three children who all do the same sort of work and eight grandchildren,鈥 Monique said. 鈥淪he has really been the pillar in supporting us through everything and helping us with our children. It鈥檚 been an amazing journey. And she's been the main person to help us along the way.鈥
The Perrys also said they could not have done it without the help of their older children.聽
鈥淭here were times where I鈥檇 be in a class Zoom session and I couldn't聽attend to everything my younger kids needed,鈥 Monique said. 鈥淢y oldest daughter, who鈥檚 12, and Nichole鈥檚 son, who鈥檚 11, really stepped up and聽helped provide some of that support when I couldn鈥檛 find a sitter. Our kids were also part of that support system and looking out for their mommy and auntie.鈥
Nichole鈥檚 advice to others thinking about returning to school is reminiscent of a famous sneaker advertisement.聽
鈥淛ust do it, just get started,鈥 she said. 鈥淒on't focus on a timeline. You just have to take things one step at a time. And, don't compare yourself to anyone else's journey.鈥