A dad, a daughter, and the pursuit of a college degree

August 23, 2019 · 3 min read · By Alex Lewis

Being a dad is many things. A master swaddler, an all-night champ, good cop (or bad cop), a freeze-dance expert, storybook reader and for many – a student. This is the case for new father, Alex Lewis, who decided to head back to school just months before his daughter was born.

Share:

Lewis, 26, is pursuing his degree in art history through ASU Online as part of the Starbucks College Achievement Plan. In partnership with ASU, the program offers tuition reimbursement for all benefits eligible Starbucks partners (employees). A Seattle native, Lewis started working at Starbucks in 2010.

ASU Online student, Alex Lewis, and his daughter.
ASU Online student, Alex Lewis, and his daughter.

Online Learning and Flexibility

Given his work schedule and new role as a dad, a traditional four-year institution was not the right fit for Lewis. He needed the flexibility that ASU Online provides and the financial assistance provided by the College Achievement Plan to finally take the plunge and ensure he’s set up for success.

Lewis is not alone as he balances work, life and being a dad. Less than a third of U.S. undergraduates are ‘traditional’ students in the sense that they are enrolled full-time at a four-year residential college. Further, a recent study from the National Center for Education Statistics found that 62 percent of students work either full or part time and 28 percent have at least one dependent. Today’s students are increasingly “non-traditional” and likely to be moms and dads themselves, but are no less passionate about earning a degree.

For Lewis, his four-month old daughter spurred his decision to pursue his degree online. He and his wife, who is also an ASU Online student, both see their degrees as a launching pad. “I’ve just started looking at career options and feel that with my degree, I will be better positioned as I start to pursue a job in my field. Now there is a world of opportunity.”

I’ve been thinking for some time about going back to school, I knew I wanted to complete my degree before my daughter gets older.

Alex Lewis

ASU Online student
Starbucks barista making coffee.
Starbucks barista making coffee.
I’ve tried to go to community college multiple times, but didn’t make it more than half a year. Going to school online has been a huge help. I feel like I can really be successful this time around.

Alex Lewis

ASU Online student
ASU Online student on laptop.
ASU Online student on laptop.

Share:

About the author

Alex Lewis lives in the Seattle area with his wife and daughter. He’s currently earning his degree in art history at ASU Online while working at Starbucks.

For more information on ASU Online’s more than 300 programs, visit ourdegrees page.

For information on the Starbucks College Achievement Plan, visitstarbucks.asu.edu.

Step 1 of 2

Request information

To learn more about ASU Online or a specific program, fill out the form below and check your email for information on next steps.

* Indicates a required field