When Chanah Fallin completed her undergraduate degree, she chose a path less traveled. While many of her classmates moved directly into graduate programs, Fallin knew she wanted to continue her education eventually, but not right away. Instead, she set out to gain life experience and perspective beyond the classroom.
That decision took her halfway around the world as she spent the next year in Thailand teaching English to children. When she returned to the United States, she brought that global perspective back home to Birmingham and began working in marketing and social media.
In July 2023, Fallin joined the University of Alabama at Birmingham as a social media producer in the Office of Marketing and Communications. Though becoming the face of UAB’s social media channels was not something she had initially envisioned, she quickly embraced the opportunity. If one follows any of the UAB accounts, Fallin can be seen across campus capturing content and giving a peek into the day-to-day lives of Blazers. Being back on a campus and in the academic setting reignited the goal she had put on hold several years prior of pursuing a graduate degree.
Content creator to MBA student
After learning about UAB’s educational assistance program — where eligible employees enrolled in undergraduate, graduate and professional programs at UAB can have their in-state tuition covered at 100 percent — Fallin realized the opportunity to return to school was finally within reach.
“I feel that education is important for personal growth, so when I found out about the educational benefits I could get as an employee, I started looking at my options,” she said. “Being in the creative field, the Master of Business Administration program felt like the strongest path and the best asset to my career in the marketing field.”
Fallin applied to the UAB Collat School of Business’ MBA program and began balancing graduate coursework while working full time. As she had been out of the classroom for nearly six years, it was an adjustment to learn the balancing act.
“For an undergraduate student, your whole life is college and homework, so it was a challenge to work the nine-to-five and then go home and watch lectures and complete homework.”
Success in an online learning environment
By completing her coursework in the online format, Fallin was able to manage her academic responsibilities alongside her professional and personal commitments. She credits her planner for helping her stay on top of all her assignment due dates.
Fallin says earning a graduate degree online can seem intimidating to some because there is a perception that you will be alone and have no help from professors or classmates, but she found this to not be the case with the Collat School of Business.
“I really enjoyed being an online student, and the advisors and professors were very welcoming and excited to work with me,” Fallin said. “You could tell that everyone was passionate, and I feel that I still had a personable relationship with them even though I was online.”
A piece of advice: “Do it”
Returning to school after an extended break can be difficult, particularly when it comes to rebuilding study habits. Fallin admits her biggest challenge was rediscovering the patience to sit and read a textbook. Despite the hurdles, she believes waiting to pursue a graduate degree ultimately strengthened her experience in the program.
“I am glad that I waited until I was in my career to start because it was so nice to learn things in a class and go to work the next day and apply the skills I’d learned about the night before.”
When asked what she would recommend to an individual considering going back to school, she said, “Do it!”
Fallin acknowledges that there are many reasons people may feel hesitant to pursue a degree, including their age or the amount of time that has passed since they were last in school. She hopes to encourage others not to let those insecurities stand in the way of personal growth.
“If someone has the opportunity, I recommend taking advantage of it — no matter their age,” she said. “We’re all getting older. The difference is how we choose to use our time to better ourselves.”
Her advice for those who do go back to school? “Make sure to get the planner.”
Chanah Fallin, MBA
Fallin crossed the stage at UAB’s spring commencement ceremony on Friday, May 1, an event she had attended many times before to capture social media content. This time, however, she wore a green cap and gown of her own.
With “MBA” now behind her name, Fallin reflects on her journey as a UAB student.
“I really appreciate my time with the MBA program because it has made me more confident in my abilities as a professional and reinforced my career choice.”