Benefits of a College Education From an Alumni Perspective
One of the main benefits of a college education is that it can teach students the skills they need to start or advance their careers. However, at Notre Dame de Namur University, helping students grow professionally is only one of its goals.
Founded in 1851, NDNU is a private Catholic master’s university accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC) and dedicated to empowering professionals to have a positive impact on the world around them. Whether students enroll in the School of Education, the School of Business and Management, or the School of Psychology, community and service are just as important to the curriculum as skill development. There’s perhaps no better way for prospective students to learn about the NDNU values-driven, student-centered culture than reading the stories of some of our talented alumni.
Michelle Lew: Balancing a Family, an Education, and a Career
Michelle Lew has always been passionate about psychology. While life may have led her down different paths, she knew she would one day build a career in this field. That day came when the mother of three young men attended an NDNU Open House. One conversation with Helen Marlo, chair of the Clinical Psychology Department, inspired her to finally fulfill her life’s calling with a Master of Science (MS) in Clinical Psychology and an emphasis on Marriage and Family Therapy. “They allowed me the flexibility to continue to fully conduct my role as a mother,” she says.
Neurophysiology and Psychopharmacology, Psychodynamic Psychotherapy, and Diagnosis and Treatment of Addictions were her favorites. These lessons opened Lew’s mind to how the past can impact and alter how our brains work, its effect on our automatic responses, and the many ways people cope with painful hardships. By cofacilitating a complementary group offered through the Mills-Peninsula Medical Center, Lew got to apply the knowledge she gained in class.
“For first-time moms to know and hear that other moms are going through exactly the same challenges has been pivotal in them shifting towards a positive mindset,” she says.
For Lew, this hands-on experience was one of the biggest benefits of receiving a college education at NDNU. Upon graduating, she carried on her internship at a local nonprofit supporting 40 of the highest-risk families in San Mateo County — a role she took on as a student. Then, she began working as an associate clinician, bettering the lives of individuals, couples, and families in her area. “In the private practice where I currently work, the clinicians are all NDNU graduates,” she explains. “I plan on continuing to work at the private practice until I achieve licensure and thereafter.”
Robert Harrison: From Mentee to Mentor
When Robert Harrison first came to NDNU, he wasn’t exactly sure where it would take him. It was a sense of community that brought him here, and a team of dedicated teachers who convinced him to stay. Professor Emeritus of Sociology and Anthropology Don Stannard-Friel made it his personal mission to help Harrison come out of academic probation triumphant.
The transformation began once Harrison, an undergraduate student at the time, realized his interest in sociology and criminology. “My favorite classes were all conducted by Dr. Don,” he explains. “The way he explained ‘deviant behavior’ — one of my all-time favorite topics — helped me understand why I would, at times, act a certain way or why the individuals around me acted a certain way. The classes I took in criminology and social psychology were incredibly inspiring as well.”
Harrison and Don explored communities in need within San Francisco, where the graduate once scrubbed a homeless man’s feet. Such on-the-ground work not only humbled Harrison but also taught him how to communicate, manage time, and reach out for help.
Today, he’s a graduate student who hopes to earn a PhD one day. “I might become the next Dr. Don!” he enthuses.
Harrison went from fighting to come out of academic probation to writing a motivational book distributed to schools and juvenile facilities across California.
Judith Guerrero: Coming Full Circle to Give Back
Born in Mexico, Judith Guerrero was just 11 years old when her mother and grandparents — all of whom were farmworkers — brought her to the U.S. “They saw education as a way for me to have a better life,” explains the first-generation graduate. “But we came from a socioeconomically disadvantaged background, and for me to go to school, I had to work.”
After college, Guerrero began working at a flower shop. It paid the bills but she wanted to use her sociology degree more. She started volunteering, and soon helping others became a lifestyle and Guerrero began exploring the possibility of evolving her newfound passion into a profession. Her former high school teacher directed her to the NDNU Master of Public Administration (MPA).
With Master of Business Administration (MBA) students joining her MPA lessons, each session never lacked passionate discussions or meaningful exchanges. For Guerrero and her peers, learning in such an interdisciplinary environment was a major benefit of a college education. Together, they learned what it meant to collaborate effectively, internalize concepts, unlearn the bad, relearn the good, and truly comprehend the importance of following the rules.
After leaving the flower shop, she joined an insurance company while juggling housekeeping, dog-sitting, and house-sitting gigs. Guerrero was willing to do whatever she had to do to leave NDNU debt-free.
She did — and she did it with a job offer to become executive director for the Boys & Girls Club of the Coastside. Her role revolved around diversifying the organization and making after-school programs accessible to communities in need. Life really came full circle six years later when Coastside Hope, the organization that gave Guerrero her first volunteering opportunity before helping her land her undergraduate scholarship, recruited her as its executive director.
This gave Guerrero the unique opportunity to lead the very organization that changed her life as a teenager. However, even though she’s now a pillar of community support, Guerrero knows exactly where to turn when she needs support herself.
“I’m proud to say that I was able to step into these roles with supportive mentors,” says the graduate. “All my NDNU professors are just a phone call away.”
Start Your Own Success Story Today
Every student comes to NDNU with their own goals, challenges, and timeline. Some are returning to school years after earning their bachelor’s degree and are ready to take the next step toward a master’s. Others are working professionals who started a college degree but never had the chance to finish—and are now looking for a flexible path to complete their education and move forward in their careers.
At NDNU, we understand that balancing work, family, and school requires strong time management and a learning environment designed for real life. That’s why many of our programs are offered 100% online or in flexible hybrid formats, allowing you to pursue your degree from anywhere while staying connected to faculty, classmates, and a supportive academic community. Students also benefit from opportunities to expand their professional network, connecting with peers and faculty who bring real-world experience into the classroom.
However, you choose to learn, NDNU is committed to helping students advance their education and career goals through flexible pathways designed for working professionals.
Whether you’re looking to complete your bachelor’s degree, pursue a graduate program, or take the next step toward a new opportunity, NDNU is here to support your journey.
To learn more about our online, hybrid, and flexible degree programs, admissions process, and enrollment options, contact the NDNU admissions team by filling out the form below.
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