Justin Pettis

What motivated you to enroll in MSU's Bachelor of Applied Science program, and what was your journey from admission to where you are currently?

I chose the BAS program because when I graduated with my AAS, it was the start of COVID-19, and no one was hiring. I saw a commercial for State's online BAS degree. When I investigated further. I discovered that a lot of my credits would transfer, and the rest is history.

Completing this degree is quite literally a dream come true. I am now 47 and for the bulk of my life, I was caught up in the rat race. I would work 8, 10, 12-hour days and wish that I could go back to school. If this happened or if that happened, I would go back and do what I should have done in my 20's. So being in a nationally recognized SEC university is something that I have wanted to do for quite a long time. I have overcome many adversities in life and graduating with a degree is the validation of myself and something that my friends and family can be proud of me for. Though each semester has its own unique challenges, it is not lost on me that I am literally "living the dream".