How to Apply

Traci Schabert: So I am Traci Schabert. I am the executive director at Broadwell Senior Living in Plymouth, Minnesota. I graduated from Concordia St. Paul in 2021. I have a bachelor’s degree in healthcare administration. So I reached out to Concordia St. Paul, because I really wanted to check this off my bucket list. I wanted to advance my career. I reached out to Concordia via online, and I just typed in the online fill. I was dropping my kids off at school when she called. So I was in the car and I pulled into the parking lot and just sat. And I said, well, this is what I want. I’m looking to finish my bachelor’s degree as quickly as possible. I’m a full-time mom. I’m a full-time employee. So I need to figure out how to pull this off. She helped me with the right people at the college. She helped me figure out finances, balancing work-life school schedules.

And she said, “Oh, we got this.” And I said, “Great, wonderful. Here’s what you need to do.” And she guided me and it got to the point where it was like, oh my gosh, this is serious. I can do this. And she was calling at night and on weekends, whatever I needed to fit my schedule. As you through the process to go back to college in your 40s, 50s, 60s, every step has anxiety and there’s fear involved in all of it, but Concordia didn’t make it fearful. They said, okay, you need to pick classes. What are your interests? And they took it step by step. Concordia guided me through the process. I wasn’t leading it. They were leading me and guiding me. There was never one moment that clicked in that this is where I’m supposed to be, or this is what’s supposed to happen, or I’m on the right path. It was every moment.

And when you enter the information online or pick up the phone, it’s step one, you made it past that first anxiety and Concordia took it that way too. But I think one of the biggest hold ups is fear of failure and fear of not being able to afford it. So to get past the fear of not being able to afford it, you need to reach out to them because there’s money there. And everybody says that. Schools, high schools, colleges say there’s money. There’s money. Concordia helped me see that I can apply for loans that covered almost all of the tuition for Concordia. Any degree you receive, you’re moving yourself up. So it’s an investment in yourself.

CSP worked for me because I made the call and they were willing to help me and guide me. I wanted to continue my degree was for my future kids and my future grandkids. I wanted them to be able to look at me and know that it doesn’t matter how old you are. It doesn’t matter what you’re doing. Nothing can stop you and fear shouldn’t stop you. And I’m hoping that my kids see that mom never gave up. Mom kept moving forward. Mom had a dream and a passion. She didn’t allow the negative to stop her. I don’t know where I’m going to be, but I like the options.