Professionally, I have extensive managerial experience spanning 16 years at two major companies: McDonald’s and ALDI. This background helped me develop skills in time management, multitasking, profit and loss, customer service, marketing, scheduling, and training employees. Despite those achievements, something felt missing. When I decided to complete my BA in anthropology at Southern New Hampshire University, I discovered a new sense of purpose. Learning about medical anthropology sparked a deep interest in how culture shapes health experiences. When I graduated, I still felt unprepared to become a practicing anthropologist. I found the University of North Texas’ online Master’s in Applied Anthropology and enrolled. As a mom in my thirties with three young children, I often question whether pursuing higher education [...]