Each member of the Wolfpack has a unique story and reason for earning their degrees. Read a few inspiring stories from the NC State Online Class of 2025.

Tyler Bailey, Master of Management, Risk and Analytics

After over a decade of military service, Tyler Bailey is charting a new course with the NC State Master of Management, Risk and Analytics program.

The flexible structure of the MRA program allowed him to balance coursework with his professional responsibilities and extracurricular interests, including a unique role as a tight ends graduate assistant coach for NC State football.

Amy Bisset, B.A. in Leadership in the Public Sector

For Amy Bisset, earning her degree through the NC State Leadership in the Public Sector (LPS) online bachelor-completion program is more than an academic achievement. It is the culmination of a decade-long commitment to personal and professional growth. 

Because of her professional and family responsibilities, Bisset needed a pathway to finish her bachelor’s degree that wouldn’t involve putting her life on hold. The LPS program provided the flexibility and structure she needed to steadily work toward a degree that would sharpen her leadership capabilities and open new doors.

Rodney Bizzell, Master of Accounting

After 30 years of service in state and local government, Rodney Bizzell could have called it a career. Instead, he decided to turn the page and start a new chapter — one focused on fresh challenges and new possibilities.

He decided to enroll in the online NC State Jenkins Master of Accounting (MAC) program in 2023.

Emily Boyd, Master of Education in College Counseling and Student Development

Early in her career, Emily Boyd recognized that she enjoyed supporting students as a cheerleader. After spending a decade as an elementary school teacher and then taking several years to raise her own children, she felt a strong desire to return to the field of education.

Boyd enrolled in the online Master of Education (M.Ed.) in College Counseling and Student Development at NC State. The program’s evening class schedule and online format would accommodate her family responsibilities while also providing the foundation she needed for academic advising.

John Chamberlain, Master of Engineering Management

John Chamberlain knows a thing or two about pressure. After eight years as a nuclear surface warfare officer in the Navy, he transitioned to a demanding project manager role at Duke Energy, overseeing critical projects at power plants across North Carolina.

To meet the challenges of his new role, Chamberlain enrolled in the NC State Master of Engineering Management (MEM) program in January of 2024. 

Marisol Garcia-Sandoval, Master of Education in Clinical Mental Health Counseling

From an early age, Marisol Garcia-Sandoval believed she was called to serve others. As an immigrant from Mexico and a first-generation college student, she witnessed firsthand the barriers that often prevent individuals and families from accessing the care and support they need.

These experiences sparked her commitment to social justice and a desire to uplift her community through the helping professions.

She chose to pursue the Master of Education in Clinical Mental Health Counseling (CMHC) program because it aligned deeply with her values and professional goals. 

Darasjot Hothi, B.A. in Leadership in the Public Sector

For Darasjot Hothi, an IT analyst at Duke Health, the road leading to his bachelor’s degree involved its own unique set of twists and turns. Even though he had previously attempted to complete his degree through other universities, he hadn’t found a bachelor’s program that fit his learning style and schedule.

He found just what he needed in the online Leadership in the Public Sector bachelor’s degree completion program.

Liz Kennedy, English as a Second Language (ESL) Add-on Licensure

In a second-grade classroom in North Carolina, Liz Kennedy helps students navigate the complexities of language and learning, drawing on a journey that began three decades ago across the Atlantic. Last year, this veteran teacher embraced a new challenge that would bring her immigrant experience full circle. She decided to “pay it forward” and specialize in teaching English to a new generation of language learners.

Born and raised in working-class Dublin, Ireland, Kennedy approached her 60th birthday as a dedicated second-grade teacher in Cary, North Carolina. After 17 years of educating Wake County’s youngest learners, she wasn’t ready to slow down. Instead, she started a new chapter in her teaching career by enrolling in the online English as a Second Language (ESL) Add-on Licensure Program.