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It takes a lot of courage and determination to return to school after more than twenty years away. But Melissa De La Cruz had a dream—and this December, surrounded by family, friends, and colleagues, she’ll see it become a reality.

De La Cruz is no stranger to ����̽��. As the university’s human resources coordinator, she’s a familiar face—but not just around Beck Center, where her office is located. An alum who’d earned her BA in Business Administration back in 2000, she decided to pursue her longtime goal and return to her alma mater to earn her MBA in 2024. And of all the lessons she’s learned through that process, one rises to the surface.

“I learned to never give up on your dreams,” she says. “I always wanted to go back to get my master’s degree and decided that after almost twenty-five years it was time to take that leap.” 

She’d raised her children, who are now pursuing their own dreams, so it seemed the time was right. But that didn’t mean the decision was an easy one—and staying the course, juggling classes and a full-time job, is not for the faint of heart, even under the very best of circumstances. On top of that, De La Cruz faced the toughest challenge of all this past summer, and considered giving up. 

“I was tempted to quit when my mom's health got worse and then I lost her in August of this year after a courageous battle with Parkinson’s,” she admits. “But thanks to my faith and the support of my family, friends, and faculty, I persevered and pushed through to the end and will be graduating on December 20, knowing that she will be looking down, beaming with pride from above. I am especially thankful for the unconditional love and support of my husband who supported me while completing both my undergraduate and graduate degrees.”

Since De La Cruz has made her career in a university setting, she was inspired to take her own educational journey to the next level. “Working in a university (and formerly in workforce development), I have been able to witness firsthand and appreciate the value of every path of a post-secondary education,” she says.

And receiving her master’s degree isn’t the end of De La Cruz’s journey—not by a longshot. Next, she’ll be working on her recertification as a Human Resources Professional. “I also plan to apply to ����̽��’s Ed.D. program in the fall.”

That’s right: One day in the not-so-distant future, she’ll be Dr. De La Cruz—but ultimately, her goal is simply to be of service.

“My hope is to be able to continue to help others in this next chapter of my life, as I have been blessed to be able to do in my former professional career in workforce development and my current profession in human resources.”