Reynolds, now a mother of five, recently earned her MBA from ��ҹ�糡 while giving birth to two children during the program.��

“I think part of me wanted to prove to everyone that you can go to school and have children at the same time,” Reynolds said. “It’s hard, but you can do it if you want to. You don’t have to pick one.”��

Reynolds graduated in December 2025 with her Master of Business Administration from the ��ҹ�糡 College of Business and Economics, a��milestone��that’s��been��years��in the making. Her journey began with an undergraduate degree��in graphic design��from the South Carolina School of the Arts—also at ��ҹ�糡—but life took her in a different direction before she could pursue graduate studies.��

“I always wanted to go back to school,” Reynolds said. “I had my undergraduate degree, but I wanted to continue my education.”��

Reynolds’ faith was integral to her commitment to see her MBA��through��to completion��while��she was��raising her growing family. She points to 2 Timothy 1:7 as their family verse: “For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power,��love��and self-discipline.”��

Reynolds said, “For me and my husband, we honor God’s command to��‘be fruitful and multiply,’ and��the degree came second. My first mission for God is my children and family—the��career was always to support what God blessed us with.”��

Finding the Right Fit��

When Reynolds decided to pursue her MBA, she needed a program that could accommodate her demanding schedule. ��ҹ�糡’s online format provided the flexibility she��required.��

“I worked a full-time job while doing the online degree, so I had to just work around those two things,” she explained.��

Reynolds heads into the office four days a week��at Fujifilm in Greenwood��and works from home on Fridays.��Balancing��work and family��commitments with graduate coursework��required��some strategic��time management.��

“I dedicated time to my classes within the window of time after children went to bed every night,” Reynolds said. “I would also read on my lunch breaks, and if there were any apps that would read your textbooks, I would listen to them on the drive to and from work.”��

The Art of Being Present��

For Reynolds, success��wasn’t��just about finding��time—it was about being fully present in each moment.��It was also about prioritizing motherhood and choosing to bring two lives into the world during that time.��With three children in diapers and her older sons will��under��10, it��wasn’t��easy,��but��she persevered.����

“Focus and discipline require that you dedicate portions of your life to specific things,” she said. “If I’m with my family, I need to be present with my family. If I’m at school, I need to be present at school.”��

This philosophy was tested when life’s unpredictable moments arose. Reynolds recalled times when she had to request deadline extensions, including spending an entire day in the emergency room with one of her children when a paper was due.��

“They were understanding,” she said��of��her professors.��

A Culture of Support��

What stood out most to Reynolds during her MBA journey was the family-friendly culture she��encountered��among ��ҹ�糡 faculty.��This support system proved invaluable as Reynolds navigated the challenges of graduate-level coursework while managing the demands of a growing family and��a��full-time career.��

“Certain professors I really connected with because they were happy that I had children and a family,” Reynolds said.��“They were so supportive of family.”��

When��Reynolds��was giving��birth to her��youngest daughter, she shared the news with her professor, letting her know when to expect the delivery.��She sent the professor a photo of her new baby, receiving the reply, “That makes my��day.”������

Reflecting��on her experience,��Reynolds said,��“This past May we welcomed Elizabeth to our family of now��seven, and I took some time off work to heal and take care of her. Then shortly after that I was able to finish my MBA��while being able to talk about my faith in God in every class! Only a little over a year ago, while in the middle of my MBA studies I had another beautiful girl named René and right before I started my MBA program I had my first daughter Catherine.”��

Lessons in Balance��

Reynolds’ experience taught her important lessons about managing multiple priorities simultaneously. The key, she discovered, was��maintaining��focus on whatever task was at hand, especially when trying to manage many things at once.��

“You have to be present at the time,” she emphasized.��

Reynolds’��journey��at ��ҹ�糡 crossed��two different academic worlds, but��she��found value in both experiences. The MBA program offered her the opportunity to develop new skills while��proving to��herself—and others—that major life events��don’t��have to derail educational goals.��

A Message of Possibility��

Reynolds hopes her story will inspire others who may be hesitating to pursue their educational dreams because of family commitments.��

“You can go to school and have children at the same time,” she said. “It’s hard, but you can do it if you want to.”��

Her success��demonstrates��the quality and flexibility of ��ҹ�糡’s MBA program, designed to accommodate working professionals and parents.��

For Reynolds, earning her MBA while raising five children—including welcoming two more during the program—wasn’t��about proving she could do the impossible. It was about showing that with focus, discipline,��support��and determination, the��seemingly impossible��becomes achievable. Receiving her degree this past December stands as proof that, with the right mindset and support system, you truly can have both.��

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The new MBA concentrations at ��ҹ�糡 are structured to be integrated into one-year MBA programs and consist of three courses that can be taken in any order, offering maximum flexibility for students. Rize courses will be delivered in an 8-week, online, asynchronous format, ensuring accessibility for working professionals and full-time students alike.��

New MBA concentrations include:��

Artificial Intelligence: Learn how to implement AI strategically in business operations. Students develop skills to lead AI projects and help organizations adopt new technologies effectively.��

Healthcare Administration: Gain expertise in managing healthcare operations, understanding policy changes, and leading teams in hospitals, clinics, and health systems. Perfect preparation for leadership roles in one of America’s largest industries.��

Finance: Build advanced skills in financial planning, risk assessment, and investment analysis. Graduates are prepared for senior finance roles, from corporate finance to investment banking and financial technology companies.��

Cybersecurity: Develop expertise in protecting organizations from cyber threats. Students learn to assess security risks, respond to incidents, and build strong defense systems – skills desperately needed as cyber attacks increase.��

Business Analytics: Learn to turn company data into useful insights that drive business decisions. Students master analytics tools and learn to present findings in ways that influence executive strategy.��

“At ��ҹ�糡, our goal is to create an MBA experience where students thrive both personally and professionally. That begins with fostering psychologically safe learning environments—spaces where collaboration, innovation and leadership can flourish without fear,” said ��ҹ�糡 Professor of Management Dr. Jeffrey Moore. “The job market has changed dramatically in the past five years, and companies are now hiring for roles that didn’t even exist when we designed our original MBA program. By expanding our MBA offerings, we’re helping students develop the expertise they need to thrive in today’s competitive job market. On the technical side, our new MBA concentrations ensure that students don’t just learn theory but actively use cutting-edge AI tools to augment traditional business frameworks and solve real-world challenges. By combining human-centered leadership with advanced technical training, we’re preparing graduates to excel in today’s dynamic business landscape.”��

Real-World Impact from Day One
Developed by academic and industry experts, the MBA concentrations at ��ҹ�糡 combine rigorous academic coursework with practical, real-world applications, ensuring that students are well-prepared to lead in their respective fields.��

Prospective students interested in learning more about these concentrations are encouraged to visit the ��ҹ�糡 website or contact the admissions office.��

About ��ҹ�糡
��ҹ�糡 is a leading institution of higher education dedicated to providing students with a comprehensive education that fosters critical thinking, leadership, and community engagement. Offering a wide range of undergraduate and graduate programs, ��ҹ�糡 continues to prepare students for success in an ever-evolving global marketplace.��

About Rize
Rize Education partners with colleges and universities to create career-focused academic programs that meet the demands of today’s workforce. Working with more than 100 institutions, Rize provides students with cutting-edge concentrations designed to enhance their career prospects and equip them with skills relevant to their fields.��

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