Fall 2021 Edition
Alumni & Friends Magazine
The regional route to success
A three-time 91探花 graduate, Stacy Cesa Schindler鈥檚 college experience traversed OHIO campuses, online programs and her career.
Mary Reed, BSJ 鈥90, MA 鈥93 | September 24, 2021
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Stacy Cesa Schindler, BSS 鈥01, BSC 鈥02, MA 鈥14, began her higher education journey as a traditional student鈥攕he went away to college, lived in the dorm, made friends. But when her family鈥檚 financial situation abruptly changed, she found herself at age 20 moving closer to home and working full time, but still determined to finish her degree.
91探花 Zanesville鈥攚here, at the time, her mother, Kathleen O. Cesa, BSS 鈥00, was completing her own degree鈥攎ade it possible for Schindler to finish her bachelor鈥檚 by way of night and weekend courses.
鈥淚t really was hard to be what was termed 鈥榓 nontraditional student.鈥 I may have been a traditional student age, but I was working full time and trying to go to school full time,鈥 she says.
Although Schindler鈥檚 life was no longer tracking with her friends from college, she was far from alone. Zanesville Campus academic advisor Carol Hoefler, BSED 鈥73, MED 鈥96, advised Schindler toward her bachelor鈥檚 degree in specialized studies.
鈥淐arol was just really invested to make sure that the part of me that was transitioning into this young adult life was doing okay,鈥 Schindler recalls. 鈥淪he would take what I would say and help me synthesize my goals. What was my passion? What did I want to do?鈥
In many ways, 91探花鈥檚 regional campuses were ahead of the curve when it came to flexible delivery of education. Schindler was able to take classes at any campus that fit her schedule, whether Zanesville or Athens or Lancaster, and she even had classes via video conferencing some 20 years before the word Zoom entered the national lexicon. She finished her BSS and鈥攐n advice from Communication Studies Professor Candice Thomas-Maddox鈥攅arned a communication studies degree with just one additional semester of courses.
鈥淭hose professors invested in me,鈥 Schindler says from her office adorned with her OHIO diplomas.
Additionally, her regional campus experience reflected the main campus in that Schindler was able to get involved in student clubs. She became a charter member of L.E.A.D. (Leadership Enhancement Acquisition Delegation), an organization that focuses on developing leadership skills in students. A year鈥檚 worth of seminar topics included team building, event planning, business etiquette and more. Thomas-Maddox was the club advisor and remembers Schindler as having exceptional interpersonal communication skills even then, being instrumental in recruiting the second class of L.E.A.D. students.
Degrees in hand, Schindler continued to invest in her own career. She had successful stints at iconic Ohio companies including The Longaberger Company and L Brands. When it came time for Schindler to take the next step in her career, Thomas-Maddox told her about a new OHIO Online master鈥檚 program in communication studies. It was the catalyst Schindler says she needed鈥攁nd a degree that paid off almost immediately.
鈥淚 did move to a new level, a director level, at a new company,鈥 she says.
Today, Schindler is a financial advisor at Edward Jones in the Columbus metro area, using her OHIO degrees to help others in her community reach their goals.
鈥淭he reason I鈥檓 a good financial advisor is because I have a communication background. I know how to have a conversation. I know how to actively listen, and I know how to ask great questions,鈥 she says. 鈥淓very conversation I have with a prospective client is all about goals.鈥
Often, those goals revolve around how to plan and pay for higher education鈥攁n investment that has paid off in spades for Schindler and inspired her to remain in contact with Thomas-Maddox and active with L.E.A.D. and on the Lancaster and Zanesville campuses.
鈥淪he never tells us no,鈥 Thomas-Maddox says of Schindler鈥檚 dedication to her alma mater. 鈥淐an you speak at COMS Day? Can you come to a roundtable? Every single time, she doesn鈥檛 hesitate. She comes back 鈥 she鈥檚 that alum who stayed engaged.鈥
鈥淚鈥檓 proud that I went to Zanesville. I鈥檓 proud that I went to Lancaster,鈥 Schindler says. 鈥淣ot only was I afforded the same quality of education and opportunities to be involved in my campuses and community, but I also had the flexibility to be able to work full time, developing my academic knowledge and my professional and life skills at the same time. Having a top-ranked school available to me where I was in my life was a catalyst to my success.鈥
This fall marks the 75th anniversary of 91探花鈥檚 first regional campuses. Look at the history of the University鈥檚 expanding presence in the Bobcat State and beyond and to read about the that is strengthening campus and communities in purpose and partnership.
