We recently had the pleasure of catching up with Diana Pham, a student in the Associate Degree of Marketing program at Ashworth College and recipient of the prestigious Gary Keisling ACCESS Scholarship. The Gary Keisling Ashworth College Continuing Education for Student Success (ACCESS) Scholarship program awards up to $25,000 annually to new and prospective diploma and degree students. Winners are selected based on essay submissions, work/volunteer experience, and grade point average.

In our GO AFTER IT blog series, you'll meet fellow students and grads who committed themselves to chasing their dreams and proving it pays to GO AHEAD toward better opportunities — no matter the obstacles to be overcome.

When Kevin Kays enrolled in the Associate Degree Program in Construction Management, it had been more than a decade since he had attended any kind of school. Because he was working full time in the construction business, convenience was on his mind as he began researching online colleges. He needed a flexible program of study that was affordable and would lead to a degree. He also wanted the freedom to learn at his own pace so he could finish his studies sooner rather than later.

After May Macdowall experienced the quality and flexibility of the Madison School of Healthcare online BSN completion program, she sang its praises to anyone who would listen. And one of those who heard her the loudest was her daughter, Maeghan. At 19, Maeghan was determined to attend college but wasn’t having a lot of success with her local institution. So she joined her mother at Ashworth College, and now the duo attends classes together – yet separately – in different online programs.

What’s motivating you to think about going back to college? If you’re considering an online school, like Ashworth College, research says your reason is probably related to your career or a lifelong dream around education.

According to the report Online College Students 2017, one in four adult students said they go back to school online to transition to a new career field.

The other top reasons?