After earning a degree in advertising from UNC-Chapel Hill in 1998 and deciding the field wasn鈥檛 for her,聽Cullen Moser, 鈥�07, wanted to pursue a second degree in interior design.
While researching the offerings of schools near her then-Chapel Hill home, she discovered Meredith鈥檚 accredited聽interior design聽program.
鈥淭hat accreditation was a must 鈥� not only for getting a quality education from a well-respected college, but because it鈥檚 something respected design firms look for in prospective employees,鈥� said Cullen, now an interior designer with Hatteras Yachts. 鈥淚n addition, the thought of sitting in a classroom of 30 students or less was very appealing!鈥�
Twenty-four when she started the program, Cullen was 鈥渆xtremely worried about being the oldest person in the class, but soon learned that was not at all the case,鈥� she recalled. 鈥淭here were so many students just like me 鈥� in their mid- to upper 20s, going to Meredith for a second degree, working to support themselves 鈥� so I felt like I had a real support system.鈥�
As for most other adult learners, that support 鈥� from both fellow students and faculty members 鈥� was invaluable to Cullen.
鈥淲orking and going to school full-time wasn鈥檛 easy, but with Meredith鈥檚 variety of class times and accommodating professors, it wasn’t as stressful as it could have been,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t was those kinds of things that got me through my three years and made me appreciate how truly special Meredith is.鈥�
Cullen couldn鈥檛 be happier with what she gained by pursuing that second degree.
鈥淢y Meredith degree has given me the education and knowledge I need to be successful in my career, as well as the confidence to get to where I am today 鈥� something I didn’t necessarily have when I began the program,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t also has given me a wonderful network of women all over the country who are great mentors and friends.鈥�
