1,200 Miles to Graduation
Jeffrey Kern is driving over 1,200 miles from State College, PA, to walk the stage at Moraine Park’s Commencement Ceremony this Saturday.
Kern, originally from Hurley, WI, is graduating from Moraine Park’s online Small Business Entrepreneurship Program. He is also enrolled in MPTC’s online Business Analyst program and is set to finish in May 2023.
“There was a significant amount of global insecurity at the start of 2020,” Kern said. “This uncertainty fueled personal anxiety and depression, but it also provided a reason to further my education.”
In 2017, Kern launched a fitness application called BOSS Running. Unfortunately, he did not find as much success as he had hoped. He was able to financially rebuild from 2018-2020 working in other jobs, but his mind always remained on his app.
“BOSS Running was always on my mind,” Kern said. “I wanted to know what I did wrong and how I could prevent making similar mistakes in the future. Knowing this, I began researching schools that offered degrees in Entrepreneurship.”
He found Moraine Park through researching various universities and programs.
“Moraine Park Technical College offered was the best option from the schools I researched,” he said. “MPTC had positive online reviews, the highest graduation rate, a simple application process, and offered an online program in Entrepreneurship with specific prescribed classes with minimal electives.”
Kern started a new job at Travelers Insurance as a Software Engineer earlier this year. In June, he will make the move to Hartford, CT, to start his next chapter and work with his colleagues in person.
“Despite the challenges thrown at me, I’ve never lost sight of who I am as a person or what makes me unique,” Kern said. “Not only that, I’m thriving. I lost 35 lbs of weight during the pandemic, but I have gained the ability to be assertive and to argue for what is right and kind. Walking the stage signifies the start of a new chapter in my life, one where past trauma can no longer hold me back.”
Learn more about Moraine Park’s Small Business Entrepreneurship program.
