Finishing College Without Missing Life: A SOAR™ Success Story
Jeffrey Pike spent years building a career, providing for his family, and believing finishing college might no longer fit the realities of his schedule, finances, and responsibilities.
As Director of Infrastructure and Security at Gentex — a West Michigan manufacturing and technology company — Jeff now finds himself among the first graduates in the nation to complete a Cornerstone University bachelor’s degree through its pioneering SOAR™ mobile-delivered learning platform.
Recently featured nationally by FOX Business and Newsmax, SOAR™ is gaining national attention for rethinking what college can look like for working professionals who have been left behind by college debt and higher education’s inflexible barriers. More than 43 million Americans have some college credit but no degree, many of them working adults unable to make traditional higher education models work. Cornerstone created a groundbreaking new option for growing leaders just like Jeff.
Career opportunities came quickly for Jeff after entering the technology field more than two decades ago. As his career advanced and family responsibilities grew, finishing his degree became one of those goals that remained important, but difficult to return to.
“Finishing my degree has always been on my list of things to do,” Jeff said, “one for my own personal growth and for trying to be a mentor to my kids.” This spring, he earned a Bachelor of Science in strategic business management while continuing to lead professionally, provide for his family and remain present for the moments that mattered most at home.
Cornerstone University created SOAR™ to break barriers by delivering business degrees for people like Jeff. Built around radically affordable tuition that costs roughly 50% less than many traditional or online degree programs, SOAR™ combines career-relevant business education with on-demand micro-learning based courses. The aim was to exceed even online learning’s flexibility. No expensive computers, textbooks or hidden fees. Everything he needed to learn was accessible on his smartphone.
For Jeff, that combination of flexibility and affordability changed everything, saying “I decided to enroll into the SOAR™ program because it’s affordable and it fit my budget.”
And even more importantly, speaking about his wife and four children, “that’s why I did this whole program — because I was able to spend time with them and still do schoolwork and still complete my job.” He completed course work wherever life happened — at his children’s sporting events, early in the morning before work, during lunch breaks and in the evenings after long days on the job.
The experience also reshaped how Jeff viewed faith and work together because he “liked the fact that it was still Christ-centered unlike some other schools I looked at,” he said.
“My favorite class was the Christian Worldview class,” Jeff said. “I really liked knowing how it applies to my personal life and my career. Because of the SOAR™ program, my faith grew,” he added. “I learned how to apply Christ-centered work ethic into my career and business.”
The degree also opened new professional opportunities. Jeff hopes to eventually pursue adjunct teaching opportunities that help develop future IT talent across West Michigan.
“So earning this degree means that I get new possibilities,” he said.
His advice to other working adults considering SOAR™ to earn a Cornerstone University degree: “Do it,” Jeff said. “It’s very convenient. The classes are well structured. You can lay out reasonable goals for yourself every day.”
Little did Jeff know that the degree he once believed might never fit his life would eventually make him one of the first graduates in the nation to complete a bachelor’s degree through Cornerstone University’s pioneering SOAR™ mobile-delivered learning platform.
Find out how to join the Golden Eagle community! Cornerstone University invites you to explore our innovative, most radically affordable accredited business degrees through SOAR™ mobile learning or explore our 65-plus marketplace aligned degrees, contact admissions@cornerstone.edu. Or find out how you can become a SOAR™ Business Partner.
