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Julia Tate, of Florissant, loves her new job with the Fontbonne University OPTIONS program. As a site coordinator and facilities management director for the OPTIONS North County facility, Tate has a powerful story to share with working adults who are thinking about going back to school: It’s her own.

“I have a sign in my office that says, ‘Let me lead by example,’ she says. “And that’s exactly what I’m doing.”

One of Tate’s many responsibilities is serving as academic advisor and conducting orientations for new groups of OPTIONS students. She’s really the perfect person for the job. An OPTIONS graduate herself, Tate is living proof that a working adult can go back to school, earn a degree, and reap the benefits of their efforts.

“I’ve done this,” she says. “In fact, I’m still doing it.”

Tate had such a good experience with OPTIONS the first time, that she’s already started working on a graduate degree, the OPTIONS Master of Management.

Tate, who worked as a branch manager for a small mortgage company for several years, had the insight to see that things were about to change in that industry. She decided to go ahead and pursue an undergraduate degree through the OPTIONS program. She also took a part-time administrative assistant position at the North County site, the same place she was taking classes.

“Going back to school was something I really wanted to do for myself,” she says. “I was valedictorian of my high school class and went to college for one year. Every time I tried to go back to school, it was hard to stay focused.”

Just as she was about to graduate with her BBA, the site coordinator position she now holds was posted. She got the job and says she really enjoys the work, especially helping other working adults figure out how they are going to pursue their education and career goals.

“I tell prospective students that I know their plates are full. I know they are busy,” Tate says. “And then I try to help them figure out how they can organize their lives to make it work. I try to help them see that if they can make a sacrifice for just a short while, they’ll have the degree for the rest of their lives.”

With its main campus located in Clayton, the university has also established OPTIONS classroom sites in North County, South County, Chesterfield and downtown St. Louis.

Fontbonne University OPTIONS is designed specifically to accommodate the needs of busy, working adults with convenient and accelerated undergraduate and graduate degree programs.

For more information, call 314-863-2220 or visit www.fontbonne.edu/options.

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