Key Takeaways:
- Jessica Cameron-Lietz is pursuing her Master of Business Administration at UAGC and is on track to become the first person in her family to earn a master's degree.
- Before beginning her educational journey, Jessica feared she wouldn't be able to succeed in college, but earning her bachelor's degree gave her the confidence to continue pushing herself academically.
- While balancing graduate school, Jessica works 40 to 60 hours per week at Goodyear, raises four children as a single mother, coaches youth wrestling, and manages numerous leadership responsibilities at work.
- After a nearly two-year pause between degrees due to her son's thyroid cancer diagnosis and her own health challenges, Jessica returned to school with renewed determination.
- Jessica chose the MBA program because it offered the flexibility to pursue leadership opportunities in manufacturing, health care, or other industries.
- Jessica hopes her journey encourages others to stop waiting for the "perfect" time and pursue their goals for themselves.
UAGC Student Jessica Cameron-Lietz Proves that the Right Time for College Is Now
Every adult learner knows the inner dialogue.
Maybe next year.
When work slows down.
When the kids are older.
When life isn't so busy.
The problem is life rarely becomes less busy. Bills still need to be paid. Children still need rides to practice. Forty-hour workweeks sometimes stretch into 60. Dinner still has to make it to the table. The laundry doesn't fold itself, and life's unexpected challenges don't pause because an assignment is due.
For many adults, those realities become reasons to put college on hold.
Jessica Cameron-Lietz decided they wouldn't be.
“I realized there was never going to be a perfect time,” Jessica says. “I could keep waiting for life to slow down, or I could start building the future I wanted alongside everything else."
The fear of balancing everything was real. So were the doubts about whether there would be enough time, enough energy, or enough room in an already full life.
"The hardest part wasn't the coursework,” Jessica explains. “It was believing I was worth investing in."
But one thing proved stronger than those fears: determination.
Today, Jessica is pursuing her Master of Business Administration (MBA) at the University of Arizona Global Campus (UAGC). She is on track to become the first person in her family to earn a master's degree while proving something even more important: that the "right time" to pursue your goals is when you decide your future is worth pursuing.
A Life Filled
To understand Jessica's journey, you first have to understand everything she manages.
She's a single mother of four children. Her oldest is in college, while her youngest is preparing for third grade.
"I like to think that my son is in college because I showed him what is possible,” Jessica says. “I wanted my children to grow up knowing that if they saw me do it, they could do it, too. And I wanted to prove, to them and to myself, that a statistic is just that: a statistic. It doesn't determine who you are or what you're capable of."
She works 40 to 60 hours each week at Goodyear's tire manufacturing plant in Oklahoma on a rotating schedule, serving as a lead trainer, safety representative, team communicator, and backup manager.
Off the clock, she's coaching youth wrestling, tackling home improvement projects, caring for six dogs and a bunny rabbit, and baking homemade dog treats that, according to her sister, are good enough to sell.
And somewhere between all of that, she's maintaining a 4.0 GPA.
"Not long after my leadership course at UAGC, I was selected to serve on a board at work that's focused on developing future leaders and strengthening our leadership culture. It felt like everything I was learning was already opening new doors."
Jessica chose the MBA program at UAGC because it offered the flexibility to grow wherever her career might lead.
"I didn't want to zero in on one area," she explains. "If I wanted to progress where I'm at at Goodyear, it would give me the opportunity to do that. Or if I wanted to go back into health care, or maybe even some other field, it would allow me that flexibility."
Whether moving forward in manufacturing leadership or returning to health care, Jessica wanted a degree that would prepare her for both. UAGC fit into her life.
"Being able to focus on one course at a time really helped me stay organized while balancing everything else on my plate."
As her children watch her journey towards her second degree, Jessica is showing them that where you start doesn't have to be where you stay.
The Fear Was Real
Long before she began her MBA, Jessica faced another intimidating first: She enrolled at UAGC to pursue her bachelor's degree in health care administration.
Like many adult learners, she wasn't sure she belonged.
"With my bachelor's, my biggest fear was that I wouldn't be able to do it," she says. "I was the first one. I wasn't sure what the courses were going to be like or how I would adapt."
She already juggled so much. And yet, when she saw her children, she saw herself reflected in their eyes.
“My biggest motivator will always be my kids,” Jessica says. “So, I say to myself: ‘Believe in yourself. Deep down, you already have the confidence, you can do it. You can accomplish anything you put your mind to.’”
Once enrolled, Jessica discovered something surprising. Not only could she do it, but she also excelled. By the time she graduated, she wasn't wondering if she was capable of earning another degree. She was wondering how much further she could go.
"I told myself; I want to do better than I did with my bachelor's. I want to see how far I can push myself intellectually. Luckily, I've been able to do that. It's been tough, but I've been able to do that, so I'm very proud of myself."
When Life Changed the Timeline
Jessica always intended to continue her education.
What she expected to be a brief transition between degrees became nearly two years marked by profound challenges.
Her oldest son was diagnosed with thyroid cancer after doctors discovered a thyroglossal duct cyst that required multiple surgeries and radiation treatments. Around the same time, Jessica underwent a hysterectomy following a history of cervical cancer.
"I want people to take away that, no matter what they have going on or what they may be going through, they can do it. Whether it's now, or in a year, or in five years ... don't do it for somebody else. Always do it for yourself."
Graduate school could wait. Her family couldn't. And through it all, she watched her son continue moving forward.
"He finished high school and started college through the process,” she says. “He's really amazing. I think he gets his drive and determination from me."
When her family was ready, so was she. She re-enrolled at UAGC in 2025.
"I watched my son go through surgery, treatment, graduate high school and start college,” Jessica says. “His determination was a reminder that our circumstances don't have to define what's possible."
Now, she's preparing to graduate in November with honors.
Learning Today, Leading Tomorrow
Despite the time away from school, Jessica quickly settled back into student life.
Her first MBA course focused on leadership, a topic that aligned naturally with the leadership responsibilities she already carries at work.
"Starting with something that was in my comfort zone helped me not feel overwhelmed,” she explains. “The way everything was set up was just so familiar. It was like riding a bike. It was really easy to get back in the swing of it."
That confidence has carried into every class since. Jessica says each one has given her something she could immediately apply to her career.
"Not long after my leadership course at UAGC, I was selected to serve on a board at work that's focused on developing future leaders and strengthening our leadership culture. It felt like everything I was learning was already opening new doors."
Later, business finance and marketing courses helped her advise her sister as she launched a small business.
"You learn something one week, and before you know it, you're using it at work or helping your sister open a baking business,” she says. That's probably been my favorite part. You just never know when it’ll come in handy."
For Jessica, every class has reinforced that learning doesn't end when the week is over; it carries directly into everyday life.
An Honor That Meant More
One of Jessica's proudest accomplishments came in 2025 when she was inducted into the UAGC Alpha Sigma Lambda honor society after completing at least 24 credit hours and ranking among the top 20% of her cohort.
It was recognition unlike anything she had experienced before.
"I'd never been invited to something like that," she says. "It felt like one of the biggest honors to accept their invitation."
The recognition was confirmation that the hard work, and the sacrifices, were paying off. When asked how she manages everything, Jessica didn’t hesitate: “consistency.”
“I follow a strict weekly schedule,” Jessica says, “completing discussion posts early, working on assignments days before they're due, and beginning the next week's coursework before waiting for the week to actually get here.”
Rather than creating pressure, the routine creates flexibility.
"I know everybody's schedule will be different, but I feel like a strict schedule is very important because it allows you a little bit of leeway," she says. "If something comes up, you have time to focus on what you need to and come back to finish your homework."
That structure allows her to be fully present for work, her children, and her education without feeling like one area is constantly competing with another.
What We’re All Capable Of
Perhaps the biggest transformation wasn't earning a bachelor's degree, maintaining a 4.0 GPA, or becoming the first in her family to pursue a master's degree.
It was changing the way she viewed herself.
"I never saw myself as a really intelligent person," Jessica admits. "I don't know why. But I feel like this has pushed me to open my eyes and see that I'm smarter than I thought I was."
After graduation, Jessica plans to pursue her nursing home administrator license in Oklahoma.
Combined with her MBA, she hopes it will allow her to return to health care leadership while opening opportunities for regional leadership roles in the future.
"I miss the health care industry," she says. "I love feeling like I'm helping somebody."
The responsibilities Jessica once worried would keep her from earning a degree never disappeared. She still works long shifts. She still raises four children. She still coaches youth wrestling. Jessica still juggles countless responsibilities every day.
The difference is that she stopped waiting for her life to get easier. And she hopes others who are considering returning to school will do the same.
"I want people to take away that, no matter what they have going on or what they may be going through, they can do it," Jessica says. "Whether it's now, or in a year, or in five years ... don't do it for somebody else. Always do it for yourself."
For adults wondering whether this is the right time to take the next step, Jessica's story offers a simple reminder:
Sometimes the right time isn't someday. It's today.
Is it your time to start your journey? Explore our degree programs and connect with an enrollment advisor to discover how the UAGC can help you achieve your goals. Speak with an advisor today and take the first step toward your future.
