With a heart full of praise and thanksgiving, I am honored to share my experience with you all at this noble institution that took me from “grass to grace”, from “harm to home”, from being less valued to been valuable”, in the education world.
Studying at the AIU has been a life-changing opportunity and a journey for me. AIU has enabled me to I break paradigm, barriers of inferiority complex and illiteracy, I never imagine could break. I will say at the top of my voice, anytime anywhere: AIU has taken me from “nowhere to somewhere”, from “harm to home”, from “grass to Grace”, AIU rescued me!
At the AIU, you designed a system to allow your students navigate resources, make use of emerging opportunities and move on without being lability for community when they walk out of the ward of the university. AIU had granted me opportunities that are uncommon in the face to face or in person universities amongst learners. I have seen people graduate with a certificate of bachelor’s and master’s degree without an email account. Many struggle to plan their courses and if not careful, they never get to understand until they graduate with a title or certificate they can boast in the ancient world, I mean “they used the manual system, hard copies”. Unlike the others, I learned to develop my own curriculum at the AIU, I chose courses that I was interested in reading and knowing more about. I even decided and contributed to naming my major or my specialization of my doctorate degree.
At AIU, staff are responsiveness, whenever I reach out and did not get a respond or feedback, it was the matter pf time zones difference or the quality of my internet. The frequents prompting from the Tutors and Admission Counselors cannot be over emphasized about those weekly live classes’ schedules, they made me to keep focused and plan my daily schedules at work, leaving room for my classes. After my master’s graduation, I was going slow in the learning with my doctoral program with an ill responsible excuse of money availability. One call, with few questions from my Advisor (Dr. Edward Lambert) re-energized me, it was a wake-up call. Dr. Lambert might not be aware of what his call meant to me, but it noteworthy.
Not forgetting the finance department, the 50% scholarship is making me to be counted amongst many with a post-graduate degree waiting to be confer. My advisors: your guidance was remarkable; you never give up on me. You were ready to reply to those annoyance questions with diligence. There were times, I saw it so complicated and complexed, and you put it in shape for me, I was blessed having you to sweeten my journey, to break paradigm. I want to remember Michael Philip, you guided me in scheduling live presentations and the importance of joining early to sort out technical issues to avoid the session is not disruptions, making sure the audience is not waiting for me.
Just to give a background of how I started: my journey at the AIU have been a long and rewarding one, from 2018- 2024. It all started like “when one is getting drown into an ocean and meets a lifesaving boat. At that time, that person will not mind the danger around, the only focus will be, getting onboard the boat.
I saw the ad of the Atlantic International University on my Facebook page on July 8, 2018. After putting in my details like another student, though skeptical, I mustered the courage and thereafter an email was sent to me. I saw the email from the AIU Admission Counsellor after 2 days, because I did not even check after I added my details, all because I was green to online services. I replied to the email and immediately and received a call from the counsellor. The next email I received was to complete my details July 10, 2018, and designed my curriculum, started studying the courses as a bachelor’s in business administration.
Due to some personal challenges, I completed the required courses late and was among the first virtual graduation of AIU after the pandemic in 2021. I enrolled for a master program still in AIU and completed all my requirements in Business Administration with a focus on Project Management. I participated in a successful graduation with a Master of Business Administration focusing on Project Management on March 23, 2023, in Miami- Florida USA, I travelled and participated in the in-person graduation.
I also mustered the courage to sign up and read courses as a candidate for Doctorate Degree Business Project Management for Community Development. Here I am today, have completed all the required courses, made good my financial payment, have a visa for the United States excitedly awaiting the deed day slated for 14th November 2024, by the grace of God Almighty.
I salute you all great and innovative personalities, you made me, and I will represent AIU wherever I go, I will keep contributing to the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that are established by the United Nations in 2015 as part of the 2030 Agenda. My current job contributes to the following goals: Gender Equality, Good Health and Well-being, Decent Work and Economic Growth, Partnerships for the Goals, Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions, Reduced Inequality, Zero Hunger, No Poverty and Clean Water and Sanitation.
Lastly, I am requesting, you allow me to have access to all my account for the bachelor’s degree, master’s degree and the doctoral degree. I am going to engage in giving back to by community and I need references.
Thanks again for granting me this opportunity that it so scarce for find.
Yours sincerely,
Rachel Nyanquoi Jackson
