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Kaplan University
Amy Slaughter
Human resource and payroll administrator
Class of 2009, bachelor’s degree in business management
Kaplan University
Coming from a rural farming community in Michigan, Amy Slaughter saw a college education as a way to get out of the one-stoplight town where she had spent most of her life.
“The closest jobs were within a 30- to 45-minute drive, and the money was horrible,” she said. “I pursued my degree hoping that I could better myself and my opportunities.”
And better herself she did. Motivated to study business management, she chose to enroll at Kaplan University Online because she felt its business program was of a higher quality and more cost-efficient than those at other online institutions.
“I choose Kaplan first because of their price and their friendliness,” she explained. “I personally thought it was a great fit, and they offered a more personalized atmosphere.”
In Kaplan’s business programs, students are allowed to choose a career focus area that allows them to take courses designed to equip them with specialized knowledge of a particular field. This type of personalization that Slaughter found to be characteristic of the institution’s degree programs was also exemplified in the one-on-one attention she received from her academic advisor.
“I had the opportunity to have a great advisor who helped me make selections that would benefit me and the degree that I wanted to pursue,” she said. “It is highly beneficial for one to know exactly what career path they would like to choose before choosing their classes. My advisor asked me questions such as: Do you see yourself handling more of the accounting side of things? Or would you like to strive more towards the legal side of HR?”
The career-oriented approach to course selection is one of the things that Slaughter really appreciated about the advising process at Kaplan University. Slaughter had already started working toward a career in human resources, which made Kaplan’s career focus area in HR a perfect fit.
Even as a student, she held full-time jobs in customer service and HR departments, working at least 40 hours each week. She tried to fit school in around her busy work schedule and devoted any extra hours she could find to her studies. Thanks to Kaplan’s online programs, she had the flexibility and freedom she needed to make her student life and professional life coincide.
“The greatest benefit of going to school online was the convenience of not having to drive, and I could do my work at my leisure,” she explained. “I knew what the assignments were and when they were due ahead of time, and [I] could adjust my schedule to work on these things accordingly.”
Not only was Slaughter able to work and attend school simultaneously, she managed to complete her degree early. By doubling up on her classes, she was able to finish the business management program in a year and a half instead of the typical four.
“My grade point average was high enough that I was able to take more classes than normal to complete my degree faster,” she said. “I believe I had one semester that I struggled with, but other than that, there were no real difficulties in finishing early.”
After earning her Bachelor of Arts degree in business management in 2009, Slaughter was able to land a position as the human resources and payroll administrator for the largest multifamily housing management company in the Columbus, Ohio, area. On a daily basis, she is responsible for all HR functions, including payroll, 401(k) administration and audits, benefits, life insurance, workers’ compensation, and unemployment payments. She helps train and develop new hires through programs concerning employee orientation, company procedures, drug-free workplace policies, and safety training. Her position also requires her to deal directly with all company employees as she seeks to resolve employee conflicts, enforce corrective action policies, and promote employee wellness.
Needless to say, Slaughter’s job calls for her to wear many hats. She credits education with giving her the ability to carry out the duties of her job, saying that it was her coursework that prepared her for a career in human resources and taught her how to handle certain situations that might arise in the workplace.
For Slaughter, balancing school and work, in addition to managing a course load twice that of a regular student’s, proved to be a worthy investment. When asked what motivated her to pursue her degree, she summed it up quite simply.
“The best investment that someone could ever invest in is their self,” she said.
